Delhi collects R 60 lakh in anti-smoking fines
Tobacco fines have added close to ` 60 lakh to the Delhi government’s exchequer ever since smoking in public places was banned in the Capital on October 2, 2008.
The Delhi government collected ` 57.92 lakh in 1.27 lakh raids conducted in public places between 2008 and 2014, shows data from the State Tobacco Control Cell of Directorate of Health Services.
Under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules (2008), smoking in public places is banned, and people who break the law are fined ` 200.
More men broke the smoking and spitting rules. Between 2008 and 2014, 68,959 men were fined compared to 126 women.
In Delhi, 41% men and 3.7% women use tobacco, which includes smoking and chewing.
“Misleading terms like mild, ultra mild, safe flavoured cigarettes etc. should be ignored as they make use of tobacco sound safe and encourage minors and women to use it,” SK Arora, additional director, Delhi health department, said.
“There is no national policy to curb pan masala, which is a surrogate of chewing tobacco and a known cause of cancer. The incidence of mouth cancer has doubled in the last two decades due to chewing tobacco,” Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai said.
“The implementation of the no-smoking rules in Delhi shows the state government’s commitment towards tobacco control, but stringent action needs to be taken against clubs, hookah bars, and restaurants etc flouting the law,” Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director, Voluntary Health Association of India, said.