Crackdown on illegal sale of tobacco in Mohali, 100 challaned

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 20

In a major crackdown on illicit sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products and smoking in public places, nine teams of the district Health Department conducted raids in various parts of the district in the past 10 days.

Violations under COTPA

• Smoking in public places
• Direct or indirect advertisement of cigarettes and other tobacco products
• Sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products to persons below 18 years of age
• Sale of tobacco products in an area within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution
• Sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products without mandatory 85% pictorial warning

The teams, comprising nodal officers and other health officials, carried out surprise checks at 220 shops, kiosks and on street vendors selling tobacco products. “A total of 100 challans were issued to shopkeepers and street vendors selling tobacco products in violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition) (COTPA) Act, 2003, and a fine of Rs 18,000 was collected from the violators.

Eight persons were slapped a fine for somking in a public place, said the Civil Surgeon, Dr Adarshpal Kaur, and the anti-tobacco wing nodal officer, Dr Navdeep Singh.

The teams visited markets in Mohali, Gharuan, Kharar, Dera Bassi, Boothgarh, Kurali, Banur, Dhakoli and Lalru.

Dr Adarshpal Kaur said some street vendors were caught selling cigarettes without any pictorial warning on them whereas some shopkeepers were selling imported cigarettes in violation of the Act.

During the raids, it was found that many grocery shops were selling tobacco products, which is prohibited under the law. As per the law, tobacco products cannot be sold in a grocery shop. Similarly, some shopkeepers and street vendors were selling loose cigarettes. Instructions were issued to shopkeepers to put out warnings on the health hazards due to tobacco use. They were also asked to put out advertisements saying that they do not sell tobacco items to those below 18 years of age. Section 4 of the Act prohibits smoking in public places and Section 6 prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors.

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