Police officials in the city and the rest of Mysuru district will carry out simultaneous raids against smoking in public and other violations of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 to mark the World No Tobacco Day, on May 31
The Mysuru District Surveillance officer of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, who is also the executive officer of the District Tobacco Control Cell has written to Police Commissioner of Mysuru City Chandragupta and the Superintendent of Mysuru district police R. Chetan to direct the inspectors of all the police stations falling under their jurisdiction to simultaneously act against the violation of COTPA 2003 on World No Tobacco Day.
The Mysuru City Police Commissioner and the Superintendent of Mysuru district police have been asked to submit a report on the action taken in the regard to the Deputy Commissioner.
Mr. Chandragupta has issued a note to the inspectors of all the Law and Order police stations in the City to simultaneously book cases on May 31 in their respective jurisdictions and submit the details of the number of cases booked.
He has asked the Assistant Commissioners of Police to supervise the drive and ensure that the number of cases booked and the amount of penalty collected police station-wise be submitted to the office of the City Police Commissioner by 10 a.m. on June 1.
COTPA consultant, Mysuru district tobacco control cell Mr Shivakumar said the simultaneous raids will be conducted in the limits of all the 44 police stations in Mysuru district including 18 police stations in Mysuru City and 26 police stations in Mysuru district on May 31 to create mass awareness against the health hazards posed by consumption of tobacco products.
COTPA 2003 has not only banned smoking in public, but also sale of tobacco products within 100 yards radius of an educational institution. The Act also bars sale of tobacco products to persons below the age of 18 years.
The Deputy Director of Tourism in Mysuru has also been asked to declare all the places of tourist interest under his jurisdiction as ‘Tobacco Free’ areas on World No Tobacco Day.
Similiarly, the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Deputy Director of Pre University Education in Mysuru and the Registrar of University of Mysore have been asked to plant saplings in the educational institutions in their respective jurisdictions on May 31 to observe World No Tobacco Day whose theme is “Tobacco is harmful to environment”.
30-second jingle video
The officials at the airport, railway station and bus stands in Mysuru City have been asked to screen a short 30-second jingle video against the harmful effects of smoking on LED screens in their premises on May 31.
Welcoming the programmes launched by the authorities on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, convenor of Anti Tobacco Forum (ATF) of Mysuru Mr. Vasanthkumar Mysoremath suggested that the jingle videos be run at public places a few days ahead of May 31 to ‘avoid complications’ that could arise when violators are accosted and penalised.
