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| Valley based tourism players chip in to make Kashmir smoke free tourist destination | | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 20: Valley based tourism bodies have decided to make the tourist places free from smoking so that Kashmir comes up as a smoke free tourist destination. This step has also been taken in order to curtail the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products among general masses. Showkat Chaudhary, President Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Association (KHARA) said that his organization comprising of hoteliers is very much serious in promoting a tobacco free Kashmir. He said for realizing this dream the association will pool in all resources and ensure that public places like hotels and restaurants are made 100 percent tobacco free. KHARA which is working hard for revival of local tourism industry that suffered immense losses in the recent floods is planning to issue fresh circulars to all its members asking them to follow COTPA in letter and spirit. Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), enacted in 2003 and applicable to the entire country, was aimed to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products by imposing progressive restrictions and to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. Notably, the implementation of the COTPA becomes all the more important in a place like Kashmir where 26.6% of the population is using tobacco product in one or the other of its form.
"We will also encourage our members and also educate them about the ill effects of tobacco so that they will contribute in making Kashmir a tobacco free place," said Showkat. He added that the state government and other NGO's too need to play their part in educating the people about the ill effects of tobacco use. Interestingly, 40 per cent of the non-communicable diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and lung disorders are directly attributable to tobacco use resulting in 10 lakh deaths in India every year. Recent studies have revealed that if the current trends continue and if effective steps are not taken to control tobacco consumption, it is estimated that by 2020 tobacco use will account for 13 per cent of all deaths in the country every year. "Cigarettes and other tobacco products are posing a serious threat to our social fabric as it is attracting the young population and increasing the number of tobacco users in the state," said Mohammad Yusuf Chapri, Chairman, House Boat Owners Association (HBOA). He said that in order to restrict people from smoking, HBOA has issued strict directions to all its members asking them to prohibit people from smoking in house boats. "We have fined people including tourists and have charged five hundred rupees from them in case they are found smoking in house boats. Not only this, our staffers have also been cautioned for smoking. Even several of the staffers have also been penalized on spot," added Chapri. |
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