India: 30,000 Paan Shops Remain Shut to Protest Tobacco Ban  

Source from:  DNA India (in)  08/05/2013

Shopowners to decide action plan in Mumbai on August 5.

Protesting the recent ban imposed by Food and Drug Administration on sale of scented supari, zarda, scented tobacco and paan masala, over 30,000 paan shops in the city were shut down on Friday.

Members of the paan (betel leaf) shop owners association in the city staged a protest rally against the state government's decision to ban  tobacco products. They justified their protest by claiming that the customers are demanding supari and tobacco products, stating that the latter are unable to sleep without consuming the addictive substances.

Most of the shopkeepers have claimed they would have to commit suicide if no alternative is sought. Speaking to dna, Sunil Khadke, vice president of Pune Paan Association said, "Most of paan shop owners are poor and this is their only source of income. I have received at least 10 to 15 phone calls of irked shopkeepers who wanted to end their lives because of the loss." On Friday, members of the shopkeepers association gathered at Mahatma Phule Fruit Mart and walked in a protest rally till the district collector's office. They submitted a memorendum to FDA officials and to the Pune district collector asking them to lift the ban. Khadke added, "We will meet in Mumbai on August 5 after which we will decide our next action plan." Enditem