January 12, 2020: Health and Family Welfare Department, Govt. of Assam has extended the prohibition order against the manufacture, storage, transportation, display , distribution or sale of Gutka, Pan Masala or any chewing materials etc. containing tobacco and/or nicotine as ingredients under  Regulation 2.3.4. of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibitionand Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 read with Section 26 of the Food Safety and Standards Acts, 2006,  for a period of 1 (one) year more.

After the continuous  demand from Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam, for the first time, Commissioner of Food Safety, Assam issued a Notification Vide No.FSC.12/2013/979 dated Guwahati the 22nd November,2019 and imposed prohibition on the manufacture, storage, transportation, display , distribution or sale of Gutka, Pan Masala or any chewing materials etc. containing tobacco and/or nicotine.

On 11th November, 2020, Advocate Ajoy Hazarika, Secretary, Consumers' Legal Protection Forum, Assam with a delegation team of Forum meet Monalisa Goswami, Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department who is in the charge of Commissioner of Food Safety, Assam and submitted a memorandum demanded to extend the previous prohibition order for a period of one year more which was expired on 22nd November’2020.

Advocate Ajoy Hazarika, Secretary, Consumers' Legal Protection Forum, Assam thanks Govt. of Assam for this timely extension order and said that in present Covid-19 epidemic situation, use of tobacco products are one of the most vulnerable part as aware by WHO, ICMR, Govt. of India and Govt. of Assam. This extension order will definitely impact on public health of Assam.