Stub it out, or else...

Stub it out, or else...



Faiza HaneefFirst Published : 01 Aug 2009 07:36:55 AM IST
BANGALORE: Smoking in public places? Get ready to receive on-thespot notice from Saturday.
BBMP, in co-ordination with Seve Trust and Sumangali Sevashrama of Bangalore, is organising a twoweek awareness drive to inform the public about the ill-effects of consuming tobacco and issue notices to the offenders.
The two-day drive towards ‘prohibition of smoking in public places’ will be flagged off from Raj Bhavan. Important places like M G Road, railway station, Cantonment and Brigade Road will be covered. The public will also be informed about enforcement (levying penalty) by the authorities, as per COPTA Act 2003.
BBMP officials said that even after the two-week drive, the health officials will continue the drive. But this time, they will fine the offenders Rs 200, on the spot.
Saturday’s event will kickstart the drive. Though the Act was enforced some months ago, there has not been strict implementation, an official said. Anil Kumar, member of Tobacco Control Programme and co-ordinator of the campaign, said that the drive was aimed at educating and creating awareness among the people.
“The first two weeks, we will issue notices. We will start imposing a fine on the spot, after this. On Saturday, the drive will start from Raj Bhavan. It will then head to Police Commissioner’s office, High Court, before reaching Vidhana Soudha. The members of the campaign will then go to Majestic and other places,” Anil said.
Along with BBMP health officials, software engineers, excise department officials, school and college students will take part. There are places like clubs, hotels, pubs and theatres, where prohibition of smoking has not been taken seriously. We will cover all these places during the drive, he added.