Dharamsala vendors selling tobacco must obtain MC licence

Vendors selling cigarettes and other tobacco products within the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation limits will now be required to obtain a licence from the civic body.

The step has been taken by the MC to ensure strict implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), aimed at regulating tobacco sales, protecting minors and maintaining smoke-free public spaces.

MC Commissioner Zafar Iqbal said that all existing and new vendors must apply for a tobacco sales licence at the MC office at the earliest. They will have to deposit the prescribed fee and complete registration formalities.

He emphasised that hookahs, e-cigarettes and water pipes would not be allowed in any establishment and that vendors must ensure no smoking occured near their shops. As per the rules, selling tobacco without a licence will attract a fine of up to Rs 50,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, or both, for the first offence.