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| Law enforcing agencies fail to implement ban | | Smoking at public places still a common sight in city | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 4: Despite ban on smoking in public places, people of Jammu city can be witnessed smoking openly at various public places around the city including bus stands, railway stations, hotels and restaurants.
The law enforcing agencies have failed to put into effect this law despite strict orders from the High court and subsequently by the Government.According to data by Global Adult Tobacco Survey - GATS India 2010, Jammu and Kashmir is fast emerging as the smoking capital of north India and stays on first place in second hand smoke exposure with 68% of the population exposed to second hand smoke.
The state even beats the densely populated Delhi. Also, J&K's monthly spending on 'smoking tobacco' far outstrips the national monthly expenditure averages.
Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) Act 2003 can be seen violated with impunity in the city but the authorities are paying no serious attention towards its violation. This act includes smoking ban in public places like restaurants, pubs, bars visited by the general public, auditoriums, near railway stations and others. It also includes that display of prominent non-smoking signs are mandatory at all public places which is also not being followed properly. This act also says that in order to restrict access of youth for tobacco products, the sale of the same is prohibited in an area within radius of 100 yards of any educational institution. But at several places it can be seen violated like near G.G.M. Science College and SPMR College.After the ban on smoking in public places, according to officials almost 35 people have been penalized by Jammu Municipal Corporation and they have generated the revenue of Rs 2500 from it.JMC Health Officer, Dr. Vinod Sharma said, "Our teams conduct drive on daily basis and penalize violators which range between Rs 50 to Rs 200.We are taking each and every possible step to enforce complete ban on the public smoking."The maximum violators are villagers who are not aware about the ban on public smoking," he further added.
In order to enforce the law and make all public places smoke free in Jammu District, a monitoring committee on enforcement of the Act (COTPA-2003) was formed and a meeting was held in which various decisions were taken on awareness, enforcement, formation of special checking squad, monitoring & reporting system but there are still gaps as the law has not been enforced properly yet.
Pertinently, keeping in view the ill effects of passive smoking, the Government of India (GOI) has banned the smoking in public places in the year October 2, 2008.
When contacted Chief Medical officer Jammu district said, "According to me percentage of people smoking in public places has gone down. If someone is found smoking in a public place the concerned authority can penalize the same under the law." |
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