Tobacco ban to be enforced in 5 more districts

After enforcing the provisions of Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in Patna and Darbhanga, the stakeholders would implement the tobacco control law in five more districts of Bhojpur, Katihar, Vaishali, Samastipur and Munger from October 2. The violators of COTPA would be punished under its relevant sections which include imposing a fine of Rs 200 for smoking at public places. It was decided on Friday at a workshop organized by State Health Society that was attended by officials concerned of Bhojpur, Katihar, Vaishali, Samastipur and Munger besides Patna and Darbhanga districts.

A district-level road map was prepared for these districts. State Health Society and two NGOs - SEEDS and Delhi-based Hriday - will support in implementing the plan in each district. Under the plan, an attempt would be made to inform the public at district and block levels about the provisions of COTPA. Section 4 of the act prohibits the use of tobacco at public places. The violator can be slapped a fine of Rs 200. Section 6 of the act prohibits the sale of tobacco to minors and under 100 yards area of any educational institution. Darbhanga and Patna have taken a lead in the implementation of the act.

 However, some of the officers present at the meet complained that they hadn't yet received any copy of challans. The State Health Society claimed it has already dispatched the challans to the programme managers at district level and would ensure they also reach the authorized officers. A few participants said the departments which have to play role in enforcement of the law are already overburdened with their own departmental works. So, until a proper strategy is worked out, coordination is not possible, they said. A few officers also apprehended that it would not be easy to realize fine from the violators without the help of police personnel.

 Earlier, addressing the meet, health secretary-cum-executive director of the State Health Society, Sanjay Kumar, said tobacco control rules could be effectively implemented in the state only if all the departments, including health, education, police, excise and prohibition came forward to enforce it. "The real challenge in its implementation lies at district and block level where close coordination among the departments is required," he said. The meet was also addressed by state consultant of national tobacco control programme, Masood Alam, who explained the challan mechanism. Hriday's Amit Yadav allayed the apprehensions by the enforcement officers at grassroots level and shared the best practices of Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Mizoram and Sikkim in this regard.