Include COTPA violations in police review, states told

Home Secretary Anil Goswami has directed police in all states to curb advertisements of tobacco products, and to add violation of the law on tobacco advertising in their monthly crime review list.

"Directors general of police (DGPs) of all state governments/union territories will have to incorporate the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) violations in the monthly crime review for strengthening the public health measures at the district and sub-district level," Goswami said in a letter to the various state governments.

COTPA, enacted in 2003 and applicable in the entire country, was mainly to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products by imposing progressive restrictions and to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke.

The state police chiefs have been asked to incorporate the COTPA violations as an agenda item in their monthly crime review meetings at the district level.

"Information and reports have to be generated at the state and district levels and forwarded to the union ministries of home affairs and health and family welfare thrice a year for monitoring at the national level," he said.

--Indo-Asian News service

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