31,000 violators fined for publicly smoking in two yrs: Walia

Raiding squads of the Health department inspected over two lakh places and an amount of Rs 27 lakh was collected as fine from the violators, Delhi Health Minister A K Walia said, giving details on the occasion of 'World No Tobacco Day' today.

"The eight raiding squads visited 2,30,414 places and 31,000 persons including 41 females were fined for violations during April 2010 to March 2012. Around 3,800 tobacco vendors were also fined," he said.

The World Health Organisation observes May 31 every year as No Tobacco Day to highlight health risks associated with tobacco use and advocates policies to reduce its consumption.

He said the punitive actions have been taken as per provisions of the Delhi Prohibition of Smoking and Non Smokers Health Protection Act, 1996 and Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.

Both the legislations have provision relating to ban in smoking in public places, prohibiting sale of tobacco products to minors, prohibiting sale of tobacco products within 100 meter radius of a school and ban on advertisement of tobacco products.

Noting that government wants to make Delhi a tobacco free city, he said around 3,000 people die everyday due to consumption of tobacco in India.

Vowing to intensify the crackdown against the violators of ban on smoking in public places, Walia exhorted smokers to leave the habit. (More)