the goan I network
MAPUSA
Coming down heavily on illegal sale of tobacco products, the Arpora-Nagao panchayat on Friday conducted surprise checks in most shops and establishments in the village and seized various types of gutkas and other tobacco products sold illegally.
The panchayat had earlier warned the shop and restaurant owners against the illegal sale of tobacco products and urged them to desist from selling such banned products.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and most of the village panchayat members supported the drive against tobacco use in the village.
Lobo said it’s become a trend among young school and college going children to consume such products which is dangerous for human lives. “Arpora-Nagao panchayat has conducted surprise checks in shops and restaurants and confiscated the illegal products, which will be destroyed later. We will conduct the same exercise in Candolim, Calangute and Parra panchayats. I am requesting all village panchayats in Goa to do the same,” Lobo said.
He urged other government authorities to also work and stop this nuisance of consumption of banned tobacco products. “Police turns a Nelson’s eye on such activities. Shops next to schools sell these products and no action is taken against them by police. These products cannot be sold in the vicinity of schools. The DGP and SP North have to take cognizance of this,” he said.
The Calangute MLA further said that next time the panchayat will ensure that establishment licence of shops selling such products is revoked. Panch member, Augustine D’Souza informed that the panchayat was well within its right to seize the tobacco products as selling of such products has been banned by the High Court.
