Where are all the smoking ban officers?

Mumbai: Are you also wondering where the officers who should be punishing people for smoking in public, you are not alone. Non-profits working in the field of tobacco control too are disturbed over the non-implementation of the smoking ban, which was started on October 2, 2008.

"The smoking ban in countries like USA, Canada and New Zealand is successful only because of strict implementation of the law. The marginal success of the ban in Mumbai should be credited to people who have welcomed it after an understanding of its positive effect," said Dr P C Gupta, director of Healis Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health.

He added that for stricter implementation of the ban in Mumbai, delegating the fining mechanism could be helpful. In fact, two years after the ban, the civic body has collected a little over Rs 94,000 which, according to anti-smoking NGOs, is an indication of the poor implementation of the ban. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), another agency for implementing the prohibition, has reportedly collected fines running into a few lakhs.

To this, additional civic chief Manisha Mhaiskar said, "We carry out inspections regularly, but people should also bring about a change of habit for a cleaner environment. We will intensify both, the punishment and awareness about the prohibition. If there is a law, we will enforce it."

Advertisement

"Overall, the general public has welcomed the chance of breathing smoke-free air in public spaces, but a study conducted but the IIEM (Indian Institute of Environmental Medicine) indicates that smoking has increased in hookah parlours after the ban. It's a clear sign that these parlours are violating the ban, but no action is being taken against them," added Dr Gupta.

Advertisement