CMSS burns gutkha, tobacco products

From a Correspondent

MARGHERITA, Aug 29: Activists of Chatra Mukti Sangram Samity (CMSS) on Sunday burnt gutkha packets and tobacco products at NH-38 road near Margherita bus stand. Gutkha packets and tobacco products worth more than lakhs of rupees were seized from notorious gutkha and tobacco mafia of Margherita Bazaar area and then burnt at NH-38 near Margherita bus stand. Activists of CMSS shouted various slogans against Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma, Margherita civil administration and Margherita Police for their alleged failure to control the sale of gutkha and tobacco products at Margherita region which was harming the students and the youths.

Lakhya Jyoti Gogoi and Pappu Dutta, president and secretary of CMSS Tinsukia district Committee said that in the year 2011, in the Assam Assembly a bill was passed regarding sale of gutkha and other smokeless tobacco products but till today the bill had not been implemented properly, which indicated a nexus between gutkha and tobacco manufacturers and the department concerned.

“We have started our agitation programme from Duliajan where we burnt gutkha packets and tobacco products and on Sunday we burnt these in Margherita where the sale of gutkha and tobacco products is rampant,” said Lakhya Jyoti Gogoi and Pappu Dutta.