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All DGPs asked to include COTPA violations

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 5/20/2014 12:38:39 AM

JAMMU, May 19: Pitching for an anti-tobacco policy, Secretary, Home Government of India Anil Goswami, has written a letter to the DGPs of all state governments/Union Territories to incorporate Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) violations in the monthly crime review for strengthening the public health measure at the district and sub-district level.
The letter dated May 5, 2014 further states that at state/district level, reports should be generated and should be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs and to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the prescribed formats thrice a year circulated earlier by MoHFW for monitoring at the national level.
Welcoming this letter, Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, Executive Director, VHAI said, “By issuing this letter, Home Ministry has demonstrated tremendous commitment towards safe guarding the health of people of India and protecting the masses, especially the youth from the growing menace of tobacco addiction. It is now important for every state to effectively implement various provisions of the COTPA act and rules, in letter and spirit.”
The government of J&K has already asked the state police to incorporate Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) violations in the monthly crime review for strengthening the public health measure at the district and sub-district level. The State Police Chief has been asked to collate the violations for strengthening institutionalization of the mechanism and to forward the details on monthly basis to the Superintendents of Police of the districts.
“The Police Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir has already shown tremendous commitment towards safe guarding the health of people of state by challaning people for violating COTPA violations,” said A M Mir, IAS (retired), Executive Director, Jammu Kashmir Voluntary Health & Development Association (JKVHADA).
The COTPA, enacted in 2003 and applicable to the entire country, was mainly to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products by imposing progressive restrictions and to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke. The implementation of COTPA is best done when the system/mechanism is institutionalized. The Police Department, J&K too is putting the violations of COTPA as one of the agenda points in the monthly crime review of the Station House Officers at the district level by the Superintendent of Police.
The implementation of COTPA is best done when the system/mechanism is institutionalized. A few states like Assam, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan have been able to do so by putting violations of COTPA as one of the agenda points in the monthly crime review of the Station House Officers at the district level by the Superintendent of Police. As per the section 12 of COTPA, any police officer, not below the rank of the Sub Inspector, can take action against these violations.