Mangalore, July 24: There are large number of people from Karnataka and Kerala who depend their earning on the areca nut agriculture, but the government has banned Gutka along with Pan Masala and CAMPCO condemn this, said CAMPCO president Konkodi Padmanabha.

He was speaking at the press meet held at held at CAMPCO on July 24, Tuesday. He also said that Pan Masala do not contain even a small quantity of tobacco. The government must conduct research on the companies adding chemicals to the Pan Masala, but banning it in the name of Tobbacco is not correct.

He also said that before the government ban on the product, they must provide the facility of package to the crores of families who depend on areca growers. If they ban it suddenly, the people will come on the streets.

He also said that if the Karnataka Supreme Court ask the public case on the matter of gutka ban, then CAMPCO and other co-operative societies would give file a petition to the Supreme Court to prevent the injustice taking place to the farmers. The CAMPCO have submitted a memorandum in this issue to CM Jagadish Shettar, Food Minister D N Jeevaraj, Agriculture minister S A Ravindranath, Health Minister Aravind Limbavali and others.

Campco in order to protect the existence of areca growers and farmers know it, he said.

He also said that the CAMPCO in association with Puttur Vivekananda institution and A R D F will organize ‘Krishi Yantra Mela 2- 2012’ at Puttur Vivekananda Engineering College premises from August 2 to 4.

In this mela many agricultural machinery manufacturers will participate and give a demonstration to the farmers. Around 50,000 areca growers from 12 districts of Dakshina Kannada and 5 district from Keral will participate, he said. Dharmastala Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade will inaugurate the mela, he added.