Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006
ePaper
Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 ePaper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Industry & Economy
-
Cigarettes Government - Policy States - Andhra Pradesh AP seeks review of statutory warning on bidi Our Bureau
Hyderabad , Nov. 20 The Union Health Ministry would revisit orders relating to printing of statutory warning on bidi bundles as well as the size and space it should occupy. The Union Health Minister, Dr Ambumani Ramadoss, has assured the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, of this move, in response to the latter's suggestions. Dr Reddy has shot off letters on the subject to Mr Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, and Ms Panabaka Lakshmi, Union Minister of State for Health, urging them to issue necessary notification.
Separate rules
Considering the typical nature of the bidi industry separate rules should be framed. "I suggest that a pictorial/skull and bone statutory warning should not be made applicable for the bidi industry. Similarly, the statutory warning on a strip of say 1 to 4 cm can appear on the bidi bundle," he said in the letter, copies of which were made available to the media here. The Union Health Ministry wants a prominent display of the warning covering 50 per cent of the bidi pack. The notification on the bidi industry would be mandatory from February 1.
MAJOR INDUSTRY
In Andhra Pradesh, bidi industry is a major source of employment, especially in the rural and backward areas. With over 8 lakh bidi workers engaged in the manufacturing and processing, the notification would impact their livelihoods badly, the Chief Minister said. The State also has vast forest tracts, where lakhs of tribals are seasonally employed for plucking and processing of tendu leaves, which is a major raw material for the manufacture of bidis.
More Stories on : Cigarettes | Policy | Health | Andhra Pradesh
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2006, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|