Rs 16 lakh fine recovered from people under COTPA in J-K: NGO

Stepping up its anti-tobacco drive, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has booked 13,925 people and recovered over Rs 16 lakh as fine from the violators during the past 18 months in the state, according to an NGO.
Police has booked 13,925 people and recovered Rs 16, 55,377 as fine under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) Media Consultant, Tobacco Control, Jammu and Kashmir, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) said.
The offenders include 648 commuters and drivers who were found violating the anti-tobacco act while driving on various state highways.
Interestingly, the state has 12 per cent cigarette smokers, almost double the nation-wide prevalence of 5.7 per cent, 3.8 per cent bidi-smokers and eight per cent smokeless- tobacco users, according to a survey released by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Worried by the increased use of tobacco the state government has directed the police to incorporate Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act.
The state police chief has been asked to collate the violations for strengthening institutionalisation of the mechanism and to forward the details on a monthly basis to the superintendents of police in the districts.
The COTPA, enacted in 2003 and applicable to the entire country, is mainly aimed to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products by imposing progressive restrictions and to protect non-smokers from passive smoking.