It spells hope for the anti-tobacco lobby. Even as the Centre drags its feet on the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Bill, 2001 to curb tobacco use, the ban on gutkha (tobacco-spiked pan masala) is gaining momentum. Pushed by the judiciary, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have banned the manufacture and sale of pan masala and gutkha. The ban is a big jolt to the Rs 10,000-crore gutkha industry as Uttar Pradesh is the production and trading hub while Maharashtra is its biggest consumer (annual sales of Rs 450 crore).

The gutkha industry is predictably up in arms. "People will be forced to switch to more harmful smoking products," says Gopal Gupta, president, Zafrani Zarda and Pan Masala Association of India. He claims that the ban will hit 2,000 manufacturing units employing two crore Indians and will mean a Rs 2,500-crore revenue loss for the Government.

Consumed by about 3.5 crore Indians, gutkha is popular due to its social acceptability, low price, attractive packaging and aggressive retailing. Used as a mouth freshener, its consumption is growing rapidly with 45 lakh new consumers-mainly in the 20-35 age group-taking to it every year. But in a country where 2,500 Indians die daily due to tobacco-related diseases, 500 to chewing tobacco alone, the health hazards are enormous. These tobacco products are at the root of the alarming increase in cancers of the mouth.

"We are not against the ban but why single us out?" asks Gupta. A valid point considering that cigarettes and bidis have not been banned, allegedly due to their strong lobby. But more importantly, will the ban work in a country where black marketing and smuggling thrive? After all, last year's Supreme Court ban on smoking in public places hasn't really taken off.

-Malini Goyal

Magsaysay Man of Peace

WINNING SMILE: Pandey

His inspiration is Mahatma Gandhi. It explains why Sandeep Pandey, this year's winner of the Magsaysay Award, has adopted Gandhi's way of marches and yatras to draw the attention of the world towards nuclear disarmament and communal harmony.

IITian Pandey, who has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, has been working under the banner of NGO Aasha, founded in 1991 for educating and running livelihood projects for children in Uttar Pradesh. The 37-year-old recently staged peace marches in Gujarat following the communal violence which engulfed the state. Since the Ayodhya controversy was behind the Godhra incident, Pandey also led a peace march in his home state Uttar Pradesh, from Chitrakoot to Ayodhya.

And what does the Magsaysay Award mean to him? "It is just the recognition of my contribution to make the society live peacefully and harmoniously," says the modest man.

-Subhash Mishra

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

SIGNPOSTS

DIED: Vice-President Krishan Kant, 75, in Delhi, just weeks before his tenure was to end.

DIED: Athletics coach Mohammad Ilyas Babar, 76, in Hyderabad. The Dronacharya awardee had coached Indian teams for the Asian Games and the Olympics.

ELECTED: Mukesh Ambani, as chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries. He takes over from his father Dhirubhai Ambani who died recently. Brother Anil Ambani is the new vice-chairman.

DIED: Cartoonist N.K. Ranga, 77, in Bangalore. He had worked for The Statesman and The Indian Express, besides several other publications. He is known for his autographed caricatures of world personalities.