A committee comprising of government employees and college principals has been set up by the Gurgaon administration to penalise those smoking in public places.
The Gurgaon administration has set up a committee to check smoking in public places. The committee comprising of the chief medical officer (of Gurgaon district), deputy commissioner of police, district drug control officer, district education officers, civil surgeon of the municipal corporation, principals from various government colleges, NGO representatives, food safety officer and the district public relations officer will penalise people who smoke in public places.
Applauding the initiative, Suresh Dhankar, a government schoolteacher, said, “Through its vigil, the committee can also check underage smoking.”
The revenue collected from the challans will be utilised for the treatment of those suffering from smoking- or tobacco-related diseases.
The deputy excise and taxation commissioner, HC Dahiya, said, “Such initiatives will help reduce smoking in a comprehensive manner. Passive smoking is equally dangerous. With zero tolerance for smoking in public places, passive smokers, too, will be benefited.”
One hopes that the committee will ensure a successful implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), which falls under the guidelines of National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP).
