Pan masala's plastic packaging banned; FSSAI mandates paper, tin or glass

 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced new packaging requirements for pan masala, specifying plastic-free materials that can be used to package the product and ruling out plastic, aluminium foil and metallised layers from the permitted packaging options.

The changes were notified through the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on Monday (August 10).

The amendment modifies the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 by adding pan masala as a new entry under Schedule 4, which deals with the list of suggestive packaging materials.

Under the new provisions of the FSSAI, which comes under the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare, pan masala can be packaged in paper, paperboard, cellulose or other naturally derived materials, but these materials must be completely free from plastic.

The notification specifically states that the packaging cannot contain polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any other synthetic polymers, copolymers or laminates.

The restriction goes beyond conventional plastic packaging. The specified paper and naturally derived materials must also be free from aluminium foil and metallised layers. This means packaging that uses a paper-based outer material but contains plastic or metallised layers within the packaging would not meet the material specifications set out in the amendment.

FSSAI has also permitted manufacturers to use tin or glass containers for pan masala. These are listed separately as permitted packaging options under the new entry.

The amendment further states that certain provisions of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, will also apply to pan masala packaging.

The regulations come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. FSSAI notified the final amendment after completing a consultation process on the proposed changes.

The authority had first published the draft Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, on April 28, inviting objections and suggestions from people likely to be affected by the proposed regulations.

The draft was open for public feedback for a period of 60 days.

FSSAI said the objections and suggestions received from the public in response to the draft were considered before the final amendment was issued.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially prohibited the use of plastic and plastic-laminated materials for packaging pan masala under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026.

This regulatory shift directly targets single-use plastic sachets and multi-layer plastic (MLP) packaging, aligning food safety standards with the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Key Highlights of the Regulation

• Prohibited Packaging Materials:

  • Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyester (PET), PVC, and all other synthetic polymers or copolymers.

  • Multi-layer plastic laminates.

  • Aluminium foil and metallised layers (preventing paper-on-plastic/foil composite packaging).

• Permitted Packaging Materials:

  • Paper, paperboard, and cellulose (must be 100% plastic-free with no synthetic coatings).

  • Tin containers.

  • Glass containers.

    
    
    

Industry & Consumer Impact

Impact Area	Key Changes
Manufacturing Costs	Production and raw material expenses will rise as manufacturers shift from low-cost plastic films to paper composites, tin, or glass.
Logistics & Supply Chain	Rigid containers (glass/tin) add weight and bulk, driving up transportation costs and requiring safer handling to prevent breakage.
Shelf-Life Challenges	Brands must recalibrate moisture barrier techniques, as plastic-free paper alternatives offer different shelf-life characteristics for dry/semi-moist products.
Environmental Benefits	Significantly reduces microplastic shedding and curbs non-recyclable litter caused by discarded single-use plastic sachets.

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Rs 63,000 crore gone in one hour as Tata Group stocks slide after N Chandrasekaran steps down

 

Tata Group stocks extended their losses on Wednesday after N Chandrasekaran said he would not offer himself for reappointment as Tata Sons chairman when his current term ends on Feb. 20, 2027.

Tata Consultancy Services was the biggest decliner among the stocks in the latest data, falling 5.36%. Tejas Networks declined 3.12%, while Tata Motors fell 2.95%. Tata Steel dropped 2.41%, followed by Tata Elxsi at 2.17% and Tata Communications at 2.07%.

Tata Consumer Products fell 1.88%, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) declined 1.21% and Tata Power lost 1.17%. Indian Hotels Company fell 0.97%, Tata Investments declined 0.88% and Trent dropped 0.33%.

Exit Decision

Chandrasekaran's current tenure as Tata Sons chairman ends on Feb. 20, 2027. He said the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust had unanimously resolved and recommended extending his next term by five years. The recommendation was also recorded by the Tata Sons Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Board.

However, Chandrasekaran said the proposal was not carried through because one Board member did not support it. He said he chose to defer the decision in the absence of unanimous support.

ALSO READ: Why Did N Chandrasekaran Step Down Early?

"It has been 6 months since that Board meeting, and no resolution has been reached till date," Chandrasekaran said.

Chandrasekaran said he had communicated his decision to the Tata Sons Board and would not offer himself for reappointment when his current term ends. He asked the Board to decide on succession soon to ensure a proper transition.

Tata Stocks

Tata Chemicals was the biggest gainer among the stocks shown in the latest data, rising 2.15%.

Tata Motors gained 0.54%, while Tata Capital rose 0.50%. Voltas was marginally higher at 0.08%.

The latest data shows the decline is concentrated among several of the group's large listed companies, with TCS, Tata Motors and Tata Steel among the biggest fallers.

Chandra's Decade

Chandrasekaran took charge as Tata Sons chairman on Feb. 21, 2017. During his tenure, the market capitalisation of listed Tata Group companies rose more than 3.3 times, according to the background data provided.

The current market capitalisation of listed Tata Group companies stands at around Rs 22.5 lakh crore, according to the data provided.

Titan, TCS, Tata Steel and Trent added the most market capitalisation during his tenure.

Trent was the best-performing stock, rising 1,700%. NELCO gained 1,140%, Tata Investments rose 1,060%, Titan gained 1,020% and Tata Consumer Products rose 670%.

Key Positions

Chandrasekaran joined TCS in 1987. He became chief operating officer and executive director before taking over as CEO and managing director in 2009, according to the background data provided.

He became a director of Tata Sons in October 2016 and took charge as chairman of Tata Sons and the Tata Group in February 2017.

His current term as Tata Sons chairman ends on Feb. 20, 2027.

The sudden decision by N. Chandrasekaran to not seek reappointment as the Chairman of Tata Sons when his current term ends on February 20, 2027, triggered an immediate, sharp sell-off across listed Tata Group companies.

Key Financial Impact

• Market Cap Loss: Intraday panic wiped out over ₹63,000 crore to ₹68,000 crore in combined market capitalization across the 17 listed Tata Group companies in a rapid sell-off.

• Biggest Decliners:

  • Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): Led the fall with a drop of over 4–5%, shedding more than ₹40,000 crore in value alone.

  • Other Major Drops: Tejas Networks (-3.1%), Tata Motors (-2.9% to -4.1%), Tata Steel (-2.4%), Tata Elxsi (-2.2%), and Titan (-2.0%) saw widespread selling pressure.

Why Did N. Chandrasekaran Decide to Step Down?

• Lack of Unanimous Board Support: The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, alongside the Tata Sons Nomination and Remuneration Committee, had recommended a five-year extension for Chandrasekaran. However, the decision was deferred after one Board member did not support the extension.

  
  
  

• Deadlock: Having reached no resolution in the six months following that meeting, Chandrasekaran chose to proactively opt out of a second extension to allow the group time to find a successor.

Market Context & Long-Term Perspective

• Knee-Jerk Reaction: Market analysts attribute the sharp fall to momentary leadership uncertainty rather than structural issues within individual group entities.

• Chandra’s Track Record: Since taking charge as Chairman in February 2017, Chandrasekaran oversaw a massive value-creation phase, with the total market capitalization of listed Tata Group companies expanding over 3.3 times (adding approximately ₹15.7 lakh crore in value during his tenure). Notable multi-baggers under his leadership included Trent, NELCO, Titan, and Tata Consumer Products.

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Indian-origin UK actor died for 7 minutes, said he saw space and was offered multiple reincarnations

 

For most people, an ordinary lunch would hardly be the kind of moment they would remember as a turning point in life. But for British stage actor Shiv Grewal, a February afternoon in 2013 became an experience that changed how he looked at both life and death.

Grewal, 60, suffered a cardiac arrest after having lunch with his wife Alison near their home in southeast London. His heart stopped for seven minutes before paramedics managed to revive him. What he says he experienced during that time has stayed with him ever since.

Speaking to PA Real Life, Grewal recalled being aware that something had happened to him even though he was no longer experiencing the world through his physical body. “I knew, somehow, that I was dead,” he said. “I felt things completely separate from my body. It was like I was in a void but could feel emotions and sensations.”

He described the sensation as being completely detached from his physical self. “I had no body as such. I suppose it was a bit like swimming through water, you feel weightless and disconnected from the physical world,” he said.

His account then took a more unusual turn. Grewal said he found himself surrounded by what appeared to be an expansive view of space. “At one point, I was traveling over the moon, and I could see meteorites and all of space,” he told PA Real Life.

Grewal also claimed that his experience involved being presented with different possibilities for what could come next, including reincarnations. “There was a whole set of possibilities, various lives and reincarnations that were being offered to me,” he recalled.

But Grewal said he had no interest in choosing another life. His focus, instead, was on returning to the life he already had. “I didn’t want them,” he said. “I made it very clear that I wanted to return to my body, to my time, to my wife and to go on living.”

Grewal’s cardiac arrest happened on February 9, 2013. His wife Alison immediately called an ambulance after his heart stopped, and paramedics eventually managed to restart it. He was then taken to hospital, where doctors discovered that his main artery was completely blocked. Grewal underwent surgery to have a stent inserted.

The medical emergency did not end there. Because he had suffered cerebral hypoxia, meaning his brain had been deprived of oxygen, doctors placed him in an induced coma for a month. The episode also left him with epilepsy.

Despite the seriousness of what happened, Grewal says he remembers the experience of the period when his heart had stopped and has since used art to process it.

His collection, titled “Reboot”, explores what he says he experienced during those seven minutes. The exhibition was being held at London’s Karma Sanctum Soho hotel and was scheduled to run until September 24.

Grewal, who describes himself as “scientifically minded” and a “natural cynic”, said the experience nevertheless changed his understanding of what might happen after death. “I remembered everything that happened when my heart stopped and have tried to translate it into art,” he said while discussing the exhibition.

The actor also admitted that his brush with death left him with complicated feelings about mortality. While the experience made him less frightened of dying, it also made him more conscious of how valuable his life is.

“I’m less fearful of death because of it, but at the same time, I’m also more fearful, because I’ve realized how precious everything I have in life is,” he told PA Real Life.

The actor you are referring to is Shiv Grewal, a UK-based stage and screen actor of Indian origin who has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

His story made headlines worldwide after he shared details of a profound Near-Death Experience (NDE) he underwent when he went into cardiac arrest at his home in Southeast London.

Key Details of His Near-Death Experience

• The Incident: On February 9, 2013, Grewal suffered a sudden cardiac arrest shortly after dining with his wife, Alison. By the time emergency paramedics arrived, his heart had stopped beating. He was clinically dead for approximately seven minutes before paramedics successfully resuscitated him.

• Journey Into Space: Grewal described feeling detached from his physical body as his brain was "crying out for help." He recounted entering an ethereal, weightless void—similar to swimming in space—where he could see meteorites, the Moon, and the vast expanse of the cosmos.

  
  
  

• Offered Reincarnation Options: During this state, he claimed he was presented with multiple possibilities for reincarnation and alternative lives. However, he consciously rejected them, demanding to return to his current earthly life to reunite with his wife.

• Medical Outcome & Recovery: Following his resuscitation, Grewal was put into a medically induced coma for over a month to support his recovery. Although the incident left him with cognitive and mobility challenges, he channeled his experience into abstract art, painting vibrant, cosmic art pieces depicting what he saw during those seven minutes.

Medical & Scientific Context

While Grewal attributes his experience to a glimpse of the afterlife, medical researchers—such as resuscitation experts studying NDEs—explain that when the heart stops, the brain experiences a surge of electrical activity and residual oxygen scanning. This lingering brain activity can trigger vivid hallucinations, out-of-body sensations, and altered perceptions of time and space.

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‘Challan arrived in seconds’: Cars24 receives Rs 50K fine for providing boats amid Gurugram flooding

 

Commuting on Indian roads using boats- like it's some regular waterway in Venice- is no longer a joke! What, instead, was a joke was Cars24 jokingly making boats available for people in Gurugram, so that they can navigate through the rainwater-submerged streets with ease; however, how the said ‘joke’ ended for the company was hardly funny. Allegedly, Cars24- an online platform for selling and purchasing used cars- ended up receiving a challan for “Rs 50,000” for their boats on the road. Allegedly, the challan “arrived in seconds”.

Taking to social media, Cars24 Head of Brand Prachi Sharma recalled the entire story. The incident happened last week: “Rs 50,000. That is what it cost us to break the law in Gurgaon last week. The crime: a boat. The location: a road. The road: a river. We put a Cars24 boat in the water as a joke about the rain. The challan arrived in seconds.”

Sharma then stated that Gurugram has been witnessing such flooding for years, which recently only got worse. She then took a dig at the city’s condition as she stated that people using a boat to commute is no longer a “joke”, as it has now turned into a reality.

“The flooding has been arriving for years, and has never cost anyone anything. Then it got worse. People started getting into getting home because rowing was the fastest way across. A joke stops being funny the moment it becomes a commute,” the post continued.

The Cars24 Head of Brand further stated that despite the challan, the company is in no mood to take away the boats from serving people: “We have paid for the boat. We will pay the challan again (if we are required to take the boat out this week as well, to help people apparently). Still waiting for someone to be billed for the water and sincerely hoping this does grab the right eyeballs.”

The post went viral, drawing many reactions. Times Now could not confirm the details of the post.

Check out the viral post:

The post was shared on LinkedIn, by the handle ‘Prachi Sharma’. The post was shared a day ago and pulled over almost 2K views from people.

Internet’s reactions:

“If the challan is not fictional, you should post that too. Under what section you've received a challan for a boat not a MV . If not posted , everyone will assume it's fictional,” a user said. “And they don’t react this fast to actual crimes and traffic violations," added another.

“I'm more surprised there's a law about using boats on roads that become rivers. What did the chalan say?” asked the next person. “When a joke starts solving a real problem, it says more about the infrastructure than the campaign itself,” commented the next person.

This situation involves a viral guerilla marketing stunt that sparked widespread discussion online regarding city infrastructure.

Key Details of the Incident

• The Marketing Stunt: During heavy monsoon waterlogging in Gurugram, Cars24 deployed a blue, company-branded inflatable boat onto flooded streets. The initiative was intended as a sarcastic joke highlighting the city's severe drainage problems.

• Turn into Genuine Transport: According to Prachi Sharma (Head of Brand & Communications at Cars24), what began as a satirical campaign quickly turned functional: stranded commuters actually began boarding the boat to cross flooded roads to reach home.

• The ₹50,000 Fine Claim: Sharma posted on LinkedIn claiming that authorities reacted immediately to the stunt:

  "₹50,000. That is what it cost us to break the law in Gurgaon last week. The crime: a boat. The location: a road. The road: a river. We put a Cars24 boat in the water as a joke about the rain. The challan arrived in seconds. The flooding has been arriving for years, and has never cost anyone anything."

• Police Response: While the post went viral, Gurugram Traffic Police officials (including ACP Traffic Satyapal Yadav) clarified to media outlets that they had not issued any such official challan or received a formal complaint regarding the incident.

Public & Social Media Reaction

1. Infrastructure Critique: Users highlighted the irony that a branded joke briefly ended up serving as functional public transportation due to poor urban infrastructure and drainage management.

2. Guerrilla Marketing Value: Marketers noted that even if a ₹50,000 fine were paid, the campaign delivered high Return on Investment (ROI) in brand awareness and organic social media reach.

3. Safety Concerns: Others pointed out that operating an unauthorized boat without safety gear (like life jackets) on waterlogged public roads posed genuine safety hazards.

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FIIs more than doubled their stakes in 11 multibaggers in June quarter. Do you own any?

 

Smart money move

In just six months, around 34 BSE-listed companies with a market capitalisation over Rs 3,000 crore have delivered spectacular returns of more than 100%. But the story includes more than just these eye-popping gains. During the June quarter, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) increased their stake in 27 of these high-flying stocks. Even more striking, in 11 companies, FIIs more than doubled their holdings compared to the March quarter.This is worth watching because FIIs are known for their research-driven investment approach. They typically deploy capital only after extensive due diligence, making their portfolio moves an important signal for investors. In this report, we also spotlight the top three stocks with the highest FII holdings, offering a closer look at where smart institutional money is placing its bets. (Data Source: ACE Equity)

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 271%, rising from Rs 188 to Rs 698. FII holding increased to 0.24% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 0.07% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 210%, rising from Rs 85 to Rs 262. FII holding increased to 4.17% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 1.01% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 197%, rising from Rs 212 to Rs 631. FII holding increased to 2.17% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 0.99% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 194%, rising from Rs 124 to Rs 365. FII holding increased to 1.77% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 0.36% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 193%, rising from Rs 71 to Rs 208. FII holding increased to 15.74% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 7.08% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 134%, rising from Rs 382 to Rs 894. FII holding increased to 3.27% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 0.78% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 130%, rising from Rs 185 to Rs 426. FII holding increased to 3.61% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 1.49% in the March 2026 quarter.

Over the last six months, the stock has rallied 124%, rising from Rs 320 to Rs 717. FII holding increased to 2.79% in the June 2026 quarter, compared with 1.20% in the March 2026 quarter.

During the June quarter (Q1 FY27), Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sharply increased their exposure to several high-performing small-cap and mid-cap stocks in the Indian market.

Specifically, out of 34 BSE-listed companies with a market cap over ₹3,000 crore that rallied over 100% in six months, FIIs more than doubled their holdings in 11 specific multibagger stocks compared to the March quarter.

The 11 Multibaggers with Doubled FII Stakes

Company Name	6-Month Rally	FII Stake (Mar Qtr)	FII Stake (Jun Qtr)
Sigma Advanced Systems	+271%	0.07%	0.24%
Cupid Ltd.	+210%	1.01%	4.17%
Dee Development Engineers	+197%	0.99%	2.17%
Diamond Power Infrastructure	+194%	0.36%	1.77%
HFCL Ltd.	+193%	7.08%	15.74%
Rashi Peripherals	+134%	0.78%	3.27%
Aeroflex Industries	+130%	1.49%	3.61%
Sky Gold & Diamonds	+124%	1.20%	2.79%
IOL Chemicals & Pharma	+122%	1.72%	4.87%
IdeaForge Technology	+113%	0.73%	4.89%
Kernex Microsystems	+105%	0.30%	2.48%

(Data Source: ACE Equity / Market Exchange Filings)

Key Takeaways for Investors

1. Defense & High-Tech Focus: Companies like IdeaForge (drones), Kernex Microsystems (railway safety/Kavach), and Sigma Advanced Systems reflect institutional interest in defense and government-driven infrastructure capital expenditure.

2. Telecom & Power Infrastructure: HFCL and Diamond Power saw aggressive accumulation, driven by 5G rollout expansion and power grid modernization.

   
   
   

3. Small Base Effect: While a stake jump from 0.73% to 4.89% (as in IdeaForge) represents a 6x increase in foreign institutional holdings, always evaluate the total percentage of equity held alongside valuation metrics before making investment decisions.

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