Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Mar 21: After six years of imposing ban on smoking in public places by government of India, finally the Directorate of Health Services is now planning to come down heavily who are violating the law by smoking in public areas.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha the Deputy Director Health, Dr. Abhijeet Ray today said that the COTPA Act was implemented on 1st April, 2011 but due various reasons it was not followed.
“The COTPA Act comes under National Tobacco Control Programme and thus the Directorate of health services is trying to implement the Act again in these islands from next month. The work is under process and files for the same are in movement, if the DHS gets approval by the next month the Act will get implemented,” he said.
The COTPA Act prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places, except in special smoking zones in hotels, restaurants and airports and open spaces. Places where smoking is restricted include auditoriums, movie theatres, hospitals, public transport (aircraft, buses, trains, metros, monorails, taxis,) and their related facilities (airports, bus stands/stations, railway stations), restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, amusement centres, offices (government and private), libraries, courts, post offices, markets, shopping malls, canteens, refreshment rooms, banquet halls, discothèques, coffee houses, educational institutions and parks.
But here in the islands one starts smoking wherever he wants like in Bus Stands, Bars, the best example of this can be seen near the Bhathubasthi Bus Stand opposite to CCS every morning.
A large number of labor class people gather at the bus stand and start smoking during the movement of School Students in the bus stand. A numerous times complaint of the same has been reported in the Police Stations but no one bothered to take any action in the aforesaid Act.
Further talking to Andaman Sheekha, a resident of Bhathubasthi, Ms Bhanuwati said that daily during the morning and evening hour’s labor class people used to make the bus stand a smoking hub, at the time there is a huge movement of school going students but none of the authorities take any action. It is well known to everybody that the risk of developing lung cancer is increased by about 20-30% in people who are regularly exposed to other people’s cigarette smoke, if this continues than what will be the effect on the coming generations.
Mohanpura Private Bus Stand is also another example where COTPA Act is totally violated. Many people are also sighted smoking inside their Car and throwing Ash outside the Car when they are driving but the Traffic Police Unit never seen to be taking any action against them.
