Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 7 : Despite ban imposed on smoking in public places over four years back, people can still be seen puffing off anywhere, especially in Civil Secretariat and near educational institutions with impunity. Ban on smoking at public places in the city may have come into effect in 2008, but it has gone without enforcement since.
People defying the ban can be seen smoking anywhere and everywhere even under the nose of government and ban enforcing agencies. Be it offices, cinemas, railway stations, university or the civil secretariat.
Most shockingly, these cigarette packs find their way inside the civil secretariat openly after regular checking on the main gate of the secretariat. The ban has been imposed under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisements and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act 2003 which was passed by Parliament in April 2003.
The state government has prohibited smoking in public places, direct or indirect advertising of cigarettes or other tobacco products and their sale to people below the age of 18 years. Moreover, Government had also instructed that no tobacco products would be sold within 100 Yards of educational institutions, but it can be seen near most of the educational institutions. "In spite of government's efforts and advertisements about tobacco products, I think the number of users is increasing with each passing day," said Sardari Lal, 62, a retired officer.
"Many shops adjacent to educational institutes are selling cigarettes and other products and you can see the school children buying tobacco products from them," he added.
Different surveys show that on an average smoking of cigarette decreases 8 minutes from the life of the people. Dr. Vinod Sharma, health Officer, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) said, "Though ban on Smoking in the Public places was imposed in 2008, yet it has not been enforced properly.
But we have started the drive against the violators, and any have been fined." "The problem cannot be solved by fines, we have to educate the people, that smoking not only affects the smokers, it equally affects the people around the smoker," he added. Giving details of the diseases caused by the frequent smoking, Dr. Sharma said, "It adversely affects lungs, kidney, nerves, and heart." As per the rules, anybody caught smoking in public place will have to pay a fine of Rs. 200.
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