Ban on smoking at public places goes up in smoke
Nearly 13 years after the holy city was accorded the smoke-free status and despite ban on smoking in public places and sale of loose cigarettes, violations are rampant and the authorities are finding no way to implement the law.
The city was officially accorded the smoke-free city status by the government on April 15, 2012. It was done after a long and vigorous exercise involving creating awareness among residents and tobacco sellers, putting up warning signs at each and every public place, including eateries and issuing challan books to all government departments to penalise public smokers at their offices.
Even as challan books were issued to all government departments to ensure “no smoking” in or around their offices, except for the health department and to a limited extent by the traffic police, none other department has ever penalised a single violator.
The purpose of the ban on the sale of loose cigarettes too was meant to discourage youth from experimenting with the unhealthy habit. “No one buys a whole pack of cigarettes in the first try. The idea was to discourage children from smoking as availability of loose cigarettes gives them a chance to try,” said a doctor.
This lack of enforcement has emboldened vendors to openly sell loose cigarettes, and smokers to puff away in public places, including government offices, parks and public transport.
Even as challans to cigarette vendors and smokers are issued in routine, the quantum of violations is much more. The authorities’ failure to crack down on violators has created a culture of impunity, where vendors and smokers feel they can flout the law with impunity.The lack of coordination and commitment among government departments has undermined the effectiveness of the ban.
“Our teams are regularly penalising cigarette vendors flouting Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) and those smoking at public places. In the month of January this year, the Health Department issued challans to 106 persons and in February to 163 violators,” said Dr Kirandeep Kaur, Civil Surgeon.
