📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Alok Singh Oberoi
Crime
Maharashtra Official Tukaram Mundhe Details Plans to Curb Illegal Gutka Sales
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 19 Aug 2026, 12:33 PM
👁 4
Tukaram Mundhe outlined the state’s strategy to enforce the ban on gutka, aiming to curb its illegal sale across Maharashtra.
The Maharashtra government has reiterated its commitment to enforcing the nationwide ban on gutka, a chewable tobacco product linked to serious health risks. In a recent briefing, senior official Tukaram Mundhe described the measures the state will adopt to tighten control over the prohibited product.
Mundhe said that enforcement agencies will intensify surveillance of retail outlets, conduct regular inspections, and coordinate with local authorities to identify and shut down illegal sellers. He emphasized that penalties for violations will be applied more rigorously to deter traders from flouting the ban.
The official also highlighted the role of public awareness campaigns in complementing enforcement actions, urging citizens to report suspected sales. The combined approach is expected to reduce the availability of gutka in markets across Maharashtra and reinforce the state’s public‑health objectives.
Stakeholders, including health groups and law‑enforcement bodies, have welcomed the clarification, noting that consistent implementation is crucial for the ban’s success.
The government plans to monitor progress through periodic reviews and adjust tactics as needed to ensure that the prohibition translates into tangible reductions in gutka consumption.
Mundhe said that enforcement agencies will intensify surveillance of retail outlets, conduct regular inspections, and coordinate with local authorities to identify and shut down illegal sellers. He emphasized that penalties for violations will be applied more rigorously to deter traders from flouting the ban.
The official also highlighted the role of public awareness campaigns in complementing enforcement actions, urging citizens to report suspected sales. The combined approach is expected to reduce the availability of gutka in markets across Maharashtra and reinforce the state’s public‑health objectives.
Stakeholders, including health groups and law‑enforcement bodies, have welcomed the clarification, noting that consistent implementation is crucial for the ban’s success.
The government plans to monitor progress through periodic reviews and adjust tactics as needed to ensure that the prohibition translates into tangible reductions in gutka consumption.