Despite the Odisha government’s blanket ban on gutkha, tobacco and all nicotine-based products, illegal sales continue unabated across the State, exposing glaring gaps in enforcement. Taking advantage of weak ground-level monitoring, black marketers have stepped in to meet demand, selling banned gutkha sachets at inflated prices, often double or even triple their original cost. OTV has uncovered clear evidence of this thriving illegal trade. From Balasore to Bhubaneswar and several other districts, shopkeepers are openly flouting the ban. A Rs 5 gutkha sachet is now being sold for Rs 10 or more, with traders citing supply shortages and high demand as justification. "The district administrati... [Read more]