Unlike the health ministry, the supreme court on Tuesday took a step forward in ensuring stricter measures for better public health and ordered a ban on the sale of chewing tobacco in plastic pouches from March 2011.

A bench of justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly gave the direction while hearing petitions filed by tobacco manufacturers challenging Rajasthan high court’s order on such a ban in the state. The bench said that worldwide chewing tobacco is known to be hazardous to health.

“All gutka, tobacco and pan masala manufacturers are restrained from use of plastic in their sachets. This direction will come into force from March 1, 2011,” the bench said.

The manufacturers claimed that the gutka industry will come to a standstill and many companies may shut down. To this the bench said, “Let it come. Let gutka become costlier. The public would benefit.”

A team of experts from National Institute of Public Health will study the harmful effects of use of plastic and other materials and submit a report in eight weeks.

Chewing tobacco is a leading cause of oral cancer. In India, 26 percent of population consumes chewing tobacco on a regular basis.