New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- Strolling down the Sabarmati Riverfront walkway in Ahmedabad-a flagship project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from when he was chief minister of Gujarat-one can't help but notice the impressive cleanliness.

Alas, the red stains that pepper corners and walls stand out as eyesores.

India has banned gutkha in almost every state. Yet, anyone who walks past a street or bus stand would have seen evidence of it: shiny used sachets litter corners, coupled with splatters of vermillion nearby.

Sold under the counter, mixed with other chewing tobaccos, or disguised as 'pan masala,' gutkha has become one of India's most stubborn public health and sanitation failures. These crimson eyesores across Indian cityscapes reflect n...