SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 21: Tobacco control cell of Bokaro district administration today cracked down on shopkeepers selling banned ‘paan masala’ and realized a fine of over Rs 5,000 from more than 50 shops as per different Section of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA) 2003.
Eleven brands of paan masala are banned in Jharkhand but despite it, alleged illegal selling of such items and advertisement of tobacco products were being reported in Bokaro.
Taking serious note of complaint, Bokaro tobacco control cell team comprising Md Aslam and Bokaro City police station officer in-charge Santosh Kumar today launched special drive against shopkeepers from early morning at main centre points and roundabout of the Steel City and realized the fine under COTPA whoever found selling.
Raids on illegal selling of tobacco products keep significant as Bokaro along with six other districts including Ranchi ,Dhanbad, Khuinti, Saraikela , Jamshedpur township and Hazaribagh township are declared smoke free area in Jharkhand.
One of the members of the team told media persons that on the directive of Chas SDM Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat ( who is designated officer of district tobacco control cell), team checked 135 betel shops and Gumti at Ram Mandir Chowk, Naya More and Sector -2 and issued Chalan against 50 of them for violating Sections 4 and 6 of COTPA 2003.
Nodal officer of district Tobacco Control programme Dr NP Singh said that advertisement of cigarette and tobacco products and promotion of companies is banned. “So, shopkeepers were fined and warned of legal action if advertisements regarding promotion of tobacco products are found again,” he said.
The technical partner of Jharkhand government’s tobacco control programme ‘Social Educational Economical Development Society (SEEDS)’ said that such raids would help in checking the illegal sale of banned products and its promotion. “ Tobacco companies target small boys who could serve their purpose for a long time. So, such raids against advertisements would yield positive results,” said SEEDS executive director Dipak Mishra.
He also expressed concern over the latest survey report of Global Youth Tobacco on Jharkhand which has revealed that girls are more likely to use smokeless tobacco than boys in the state.
