As many as 3,69,595 persons were issued challans for smoking in public places in the year 2016-17 (till March 2017) across the country
Blatant violation of anti-smoking laws is evident in India with the latest data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. As many as 3,69,595 persons were issued challans for smoking in public places in the year 2016-17 (till March 2017) across the country.
The maximum number of violators were in Karnataka (1,46,832) followed by Kerala (1,34,906) and Gujarat (53,483). While Maharashtra did not issue any challan in the past four years, Delhi this year issued 2,010 challans. The government collected over Rs 5,05,60,957 with challans 2016-17.
With no decrease in violators in previous years, a concerned Union Health Ministry had, in 2016, written and urged all states to maintain a strict vigil on smoking in public places and issue challans and impose fines as and when required to deter people from violating the law. Since 2013, at least 12,74,638 people have been issued a challan for smoking in public and the government has collected Rs 16,99,05,469.
Smoking in public places was prohibited nationwide from October 2, 2008 under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008 and COTPA. "According to the law, no person shall smoke in any public place, provided hotels with thirty rooms or a restaurant with a seating capacity of thirty persons or more and in airports, have a separate provision of a smoking area, or space be made. The reports received periodically from States and Union Territories suggest that the same is being implemented effectively," Anupriya Patel, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told Lok Sabha on Friday.
"The punishment in India is meager and not a deterrent. And we should admit that enforcement of the law is weak. We have to take it like motor vehicle Act for implementation," said Dr Anjan Prakash, consultant, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
There are approximately 120 million smokers in India. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India is home to 12 per cent of the world's smokers.
NO SMOKING ZONES
Public places where smoking is restricted includes auditoriums, cinemas, hospitals, public transport and their related facilities, restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, amusement centres, offices (government and private), libraries, courts, post offices, markets, shopping malls, canteens, refreshment rooms, banquet halls, discothèques, coffee houses, educational institutions and parks.
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