Smoke-free status eludes city

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 18

As per an official report released here today, the administration has stated that it has penalised as many as 651 people and collected Rs 39,255 as fine imposed under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) till November 2014. The reality, however, is far removed from official figures.
Although the district administration has brought together officials of the PRTC, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda, Block Development Officers, executive officers of municipal councils, police officers and others to implement the various sections of the Act effectively, it is still not uncommon to see people smoking in the public and also shopkeepers openly selling tobacco products and several shops in the back lanes and alleys of the city having prominent advertisement and hoardings of tobacco products outside their shops.
The residents stated that more stringent ways of implementing the Act are required to make sure that the city is given the tag of a smoke-free city. Simarjit Singh, a teacher, stated that while the administration pulls down tobacco advertisements, it should put up hoardings at crowded places to spread awareness about the ills of tobacco consumption.
Sumit Singla, a student, stated that apart from focusing on the crowded areas of the city, the nodal officers should also focus on the backward areas, especially those which are inhabited by the labour community. He added that several shops in areas across railway lines still have tobacco products’ advertisements at their shops.
MM Behl, convenor of Joint Action Committee, suggested that the administration should make use of the CCTV cameras installed by the police and traffic police at major lights points of the city and keep a tab on those found smoking at public places.
As per the moves of the administration, the departments can seek police help, whenever needed, while issuing the challans. Under the Act, tobacco or its products could not be sold within a 100m radius of an educational institution. As per official figures, while in January, 64 people were penalised and Rs 5,150 collected as fine, in February 78 people were challaned and Rs 4,640 fine was collected, in March 45 people and Rs 2,450 collected, in April 39 people challaned and Rs 2,600 collected, in May 65 people challaned and Rs 6,010 collected, in June 51 people were challaned and Rs 3,400 fine was collected, in July 86 people were challaned and Rs 3,430 fine was collected, in August 30 people were challaned and Rs 1,950 fine was collected, in September 55 people were challaned and Rs 4,390 fine was collected, in October 11 people were challaned and Rs 4,075 fine was collected and in the month of November 27 people were challaned.