The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pune, has formed 11 teams to keep a watch on gutkha consignments entering the city via buses. In the backdrop of the gutkha ban in the state, the FDA is working on straight measures to ensure such consignments are intercepted before reaching the market.

Tighter than ever: As gutkha products are not banned in Karnataka, the FDA plans to keep a strict vigil on vehicles plying on these routes, as well as buses coming from other states. File Pic

Doing the drill
Each team includes two Food Safety Officers (FSO), who will check parcels being brought in by buses. “Buses, including government and private vehicles, may be used to transport gutkha into the city. In order to keep a check on this, we are deploying FSOs at various bus stands to check for suspicious consignments. We have formed teams, each with two FSOs, to work on rotation-basis,” SS Desai, assistant commissioner FDA (Food), Pune, said.