SBS Nagar to have three flying squads to enforce Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products act in district

Nawanshahr, December 17, 2014: To enforce Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (COTPA) Act, 2003 in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district strictly, Deputy Commissioner Anindita Mitra has directed to set up three 'Flying Squads' at Sub Division level each to accelerate the surveillance in every nook and corner of the district to nab the offenders red handed.

Disclosing this here today while presiding over, district level advocacy workshop on COTPA Act, she said that Punjab Government had instructed district administration to take severe punitive action against the offenders. For this, the district administrations have also been given mandate to book such offenders and take punitive action at the spot. Apart from that,  under Food Safety and Standards Act, products like Gutkha and other eatable having ingredients of  Nicotine/ Tobacco have also been banned in the state besides the use of Nicotine in chemical form like e-cigarettes has also been prohibited under Drug and Cosmetic Act, she added. She said that as many as 58 offenders slapped with a fine of Rs 2480, previous month by the designated challaning autorities, in the district.

She said that under section 4 of the COTPA, Act a person can be fined up to Rs. 200 for the crime and the owner of the institution can be fined adding up the total number of offenders in his establishment. Similarly under section 5 of the said Act advertising of the Tobacco product has been prohibited. She further said that for first such crime the offender can be sentenced to 2 years or a fine of Rs. 1000 and for committing the crime second time sentence of 5 years and fine of Rs 5000 can be slapped on the law broker. Similarly, under section 6 of the Act the sale of Tobacco product to the children under 18 years of age and within the 100 meter circumference of educational instructions is strictly prohibited and the offender can be slapped a fine of Rs. 200 for such crime. District Education Autorities have been directed to abide these instruction in principle.

Likewise, under section 7,8 & 9 of the Act the sale of Tobacco product without highlighting health advisory has been prohibited. Any person found flouting this norm can be sentenced of 2 years or a fine of Rs.5000 for committing crime for the first time similarly for the second time the sentence can be 5 years or fine of Rs. 10,000. She said for the wholesaler for committing this crime for the first time a sentence of 1 year or a fine of Rs. 1000 can be slapped whereas for committing the crime second time this sentence can be increased for 2 years or fine of Rs. 3000 can be slapped on him.

As many as 18 districts of the state including SBS Nagar, had already been declared Tobacco Smoke Free Zones relying on the findings of the PGIEMR’s Complied Study conducted on the use of Tobacco products in Punjab, adding that now its our prime duty to maintain the status of 'Tobacco Smoke Free District' by acting hard against the punitives, she said. She also directed to bind the Hotels, Restaurants, Dhabas, and  all other commercial establishments under the provision of this COTPA Act.

Others who partcipated in the workshop included, SDMs Arvind Kumar, Jiwan Jagjot, Jagjit Singh, DSP Gurpal Singh Pannu, Civil Surgeon Dr. Dharmpal, District Health Officer Dr. Garja Singh and many district Officials.

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