13 vendors, five residents challaned for COTPA violations

The Health Department has issued challans to 13 cigarette vendors for violations of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and to five individuals for flouting the ban on smoking at public places.

Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said district tobacco control wing had been asked to implement provisions of the COTPA strictly. She said the Health Department was working to check usage of tobacco under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). She said checking was being conducted frequently at different places for the violation of the ban.

The Civil Surgeon warned shopkeepers against selling loose cigarettes, sale to minors and sale of tobacco packs which do not have pictorial warnings as per the guidelines of the government. She said teams were also destroying tobacco products which were not manufactured as per government specifications.