FDA under pressure to release Rs 300 crore worth seized cigarettes
A notification that mandated 65% pictorial and 20% in text warnings on cigarette packs came into effect on April 1 this year. Immediately after the notification came into effect, the FDA started cracking down on distributors for stocking cigarettes without the mandatory warnings.
However, tobacco giants claim that FDA officials are trying to mislead them by coming up with varying interpretations of the Centre’s notification.
Speaking to a leading daily, an FDA official said that tobacco giants are pressurizing them to release the seized cigarettes. He said, “The industry has been badgering FDA with different explanations of the passed notification. They also called FDA’s action illegal. The officer also added that they had to seek an urgent clarification from the Union health ministry on whether their action was illegal.”
FDA’s join commissioner, Harish Baijal, who led the state-wide raids said that they performed their duty by raiding distributors as the Centre was clear to seize the products before they enter the market.
Out of the Rs 300 crore worth of cigarettes seized, over Rs30 crore worth of cigarettes were seized from the city, Rs 26 crore from Nagpur and Rs 10 crore each from Pune and Nashik.
