‘Ban on smoking? C'mon, Nobody takes it seriously!'

“Ban on smoking in public places. Is it there?” asked Mohammed Pasha, an auto-rickshaw driver enjoying a puff sitting in his parked auto-rickshaw near the chief minister's Camp Office in Somajiguda.A Raj Kumar, a marketing executive, said he knows the government imposed ban on smoking in public places a few years ago. “But, they lifted the ban later, right?” he asked.Most habitual smokers, who enjoy a puff in public places seem to have no idea about implementation of the ban on smoking in public places while others believed that the government has already lifted it.The ban on smoking in public places came into effect from October 2, 2008 but somehow in the interim, the authorities have forgotten to enforce it strictly.On the eve of World No-Tobacco Day, an interaction with a few smokers who revealed they are not aware about ban on smoking in public places.While imposing the ban, the government identified public places under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTP) Act 2003 like amusement centres, cinema halls, restaurants, hotels, pubs, stadiums (closed area only), function halls, monuments, hospital buildings and health institutions, educational institutions, libraries, court buildings, public offices and public service vehicles.If smokers were found smoking in such places, authorities would collect a fine ranging from `100 to `200.Meanwhile, medical authorities said they are working with NGOs to create awareness among smokers about the long-term consequences of smoking.Dr BL Veena Kumari, district health and medical officer, Hyderabad told Express they are planning to make surprise raids on pan shops, bars, restaurants, pubs and other business establishments. “The ban has been extended to college campuses, bars and pubs. Major establishments have been directed to appoint anti-smoking officers to keep a check. To create awareness among habitual smokers over the smoking ban, we asked pan shop owners, film theatre managements and hospital authorities to put signboards in their premises,” she replied.She said that during a special anti-smoking drive, they collected Rs 9,600 as fines in December while over Rs 8,000 was collected in January. “During the drive to enforce ban on smoking in public places, we booked 8,500 cases against people smoking at public places like hospitals, schools and colleges,” said Dr Veena Kumari.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com