‘It Is Disgusting': Paan Stains On London Pavements Spark Anger Among Locals

News18

11 hours ago

People living in Harrow are upset as they keep finding red paan stains on sidewalks, bins and outside shops.
Paan stains have become a big problem in many well-known cities in India. Even though the government has imposed fines to stop people from spitting paan in public, the habit continues. Shockingly, this problem has now reached the streets of London. People living in Harrow are upset because they keep finding red stains on sidewalks, bins and outside shops, which has caused a lot of anger among the locals.
The local council criticised this behaviour by calling it 'disgusting" and 'unhygienic." In the video shared on Instagram, a man says, 'Residents in Harrow are raising concerns over chewing tobacco and paan spitting. Particularly in Rayners Lane and North Harrow. Paan, often mixed with tobacco leaves, blood red stains on pavements, bins and shop fronts, prompting frustration amongst locals. A new shop selling paan in North Harrow has even led to a petition. Harrow council says paan spitting is 'Disgusting, unhygienic and costly to remove,' and confirmed that in July alone, 33 fines were issued. Officers have also seized over 4000 packs of illegal tobacco as part of the ongoing crackdown."
Here Is How Internet Reacted
Reacting to the post, a user wrote, 'Start checking teeth while giving Visa."
Another shared, 'The paan shop needs to take some responsibility for selling this tobacco."
'Keep the fines up. There's no other logical solution," a comment read.
An individual stated, 'Talk about painting the town red. Literally."
Another mentioned, 'You spent 200 years in India, paan stains should feel like home décor by now."
One more added, 'It's a big, big problem here in India too. Our residential building elevators, staircases, and common areas all have pan stains. We can't deport such people, as they are citizens, but you guys should just deport these people. Don't let them spoil your country."
Steps Have Been Initiated To Prevent Future Incidents
Speaking with Harrow Online, a member of the Harrow Council said, 'Paan spitting is disgusting, unhygienic and costly to remove. We know this is a real issue for local residents, and we have been carrying out a lot of work to tackle the issue. Our Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) prohibits spitting in public and fines of £100 are issued to anyone caught. We have refreshed our Paan Action Plan to target hotspot areas where paan spitting is prevalent. In July alone, 33 fines were issued to those caught spitting in public."
Officers have gone to shops that sell paan and warned them to keep their shop areas clean. They reminded the owners that they must follow the rules. In a recent check, officials found and took away over 4,000 packs of illegal tobacco and 5,000 banned cigarettes. The local team said they are serious about keeping the streets clean and will take strong steps against anyone who doesn't follow the rules.
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