Anti-tobacco note: Health, I&B ministries to sort differences

"Both ministries have agreed that there should be anti-smoking warnings in films which have such scenes but some differences remain as to how these should be implemented. Fresh round of consultations will be held to strike common ground," an official said.

The matter related to anti-tobacco notification had been referred to the Law ministry, which suggested that an attempt be made by Health and I&B ministries to reach a consensus.

The official said while a final shape to the rules was yet to be given, recently released movie 'Gangs of Wasseypur' had carried a warning against tobacco use while TV channels were also displaying anti-smoking rules.

Last year the Health ministry had issued a notification which mandated anti-tobacco health spots or messages of minimum 30 seconds duration each at the beginning and middle of films or television programmes. A prominent scroll of anti-tobacco health warning should be at the bottom of the screen during the display duration.

Though the I&B ministry was open to the idea, it had suggested use of a static message instead of a scroll. The scroll, it felt, would disturb the viewers' attention from the narrative.

The health ministry had also suggested that a disclaimer of minimum 20 seconds duration by the actor concerned regarding ill effects of tobacco products should be presented in the beginning and middle of a film or television programme.

This was another area of disagreement as the I&B ministry had pointed to practical difficulties in case of old movies and foreign films and programmes.

Health ministry had also announced it will have one of its representative on the censor board, while the I&B ministry had suggested in cases of pertinent movies, it could invite Health officials for their go ahead.