God is Light

The Jharkhand state government on May 8, 2020 issued an order banning the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of Pan Masala containing Magnesium Carbonate in the state for a period of one year. 

The order was passed by the Commissioner of Food Safety in the state, Nitin Kulkarni. 

The state had collected 41 samples of Pan Masala belonging to different brands from different districts to test and analyse during the year 2019-20. All samples were found to contain Magnesium Carbonate as an ingredient. 

The samples were collected under the provisions of the Food, Safety Standards Act, 2006. 

Jharkhand Government’s order: Key Highlights

•  The order highlighted that scientific research states consumption of pan masala for years can lead to acute hyper magnesia and also cardiac arrest in some cases. 

•  It stated that pan masala, which contains magnesium carbonate contravenes the Food, Safety Standards Regulations 2011. 

•  It said that the Commissioner of Food Safety for Jharkhand has the power, under section 30(2) (a) of the Food, Safety Standards Act, 2006 to ban the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food article in the state for one year.

•  The order said that the decision to prohibit the sale, distribution, storage and manufacture of pan masala was taken in the interest of public health. 

•  It further stated that one of the state’s primary duties was to improve public health, as it is one of the directive principles included in Article 47 of the Indian Constitution. 

•  The order stated that the violation of the ban would be met with strict action under the appropriate sections of the Food Safety Act and the Indian Penal Code. 

Following 11 pan masala brands have been banned in Jharkhand for one year:

1.Pan Parag Pan Masal
2.Shikhar Pan Masala
3.Rajnigandha Pan Masal
4.Dilruba Pan Masala
5.Raj Niwas Pan MaSAL
6.Musafir Pan Masala
7.Madhu Pan Masala
8.Bimal Pan Masala
9.Bahar Pan Masala
10.Sehrat Pan Masala
11.Pan Parag Premium Pan Masala