M’luru: Bidi contractors urge union govt not to impose ban on tobacco products
Pics By Spoorthi Ullal
Bellevision Media Network
Mangaluru, 05 Mar 2015: Concerned about the ban on sale of tobacco products the South Kanara - Udupi district Bidi Contractors’ Union urged the central government not to take this step as it will hamper the many families in the coastal belt who solely depend on bidi industry.
Addressing the media persons at Hotel Woodlands here, on Wednesday March 4 afternoon, South Kanara - Udupi district Bidi Contractors’ Union working president Mohammed Rafi said that several crore people in the country are employed in bidi industry that is nearly a century-old in India sustained rural people. He also said that in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district, about 3 lac people earn their living by rolling bidi at their household. Therefore, the union government need to consider the plight of bidi rollers if in case ban comes into effect and they are driven to the streets.
Seeking bidi industry out of the purview of ban, Rafi said that the number of people involved in the business had drastically declined and that it will disappear in another 3 to 4 years. He urged that the union government to let the bidi business shut itself adding that it would serve several families until then.
South Kanara - Udupi district Bidi Contractors’ Union honorary president – HMS leader M Sureshchandra Shetty, president S Aliabba and general secretary Veerappa S Poojary and others were present.
The Union will submit a memorandum to PM Narendra Modi through Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner to shelve the proposal.