MillenniumPost
Bengal

District administration declares Howrah tobacco-free

Howrah was declared as a tobacco-free district by the district administration on Wednesday.

At a programme organised at the New Collectorate Bhavan on Wednesday, the District Magistrate announced the district to be tobacco-free. The Chief Medical Officer of health in the district, deputy Chief Medical Officer, additional District Magistrate and the nodal officer of the district were also present in the programme.

The district administration has imposed various restrictions on the selling and consumption of tobacco. According to a senior official in the district, smoking would not be allowed at any public place. If anybody is caught smoking in any public place, he/she would be slapped with a fine of Rs 200, failing to pay which, he would be prosecuted.

Anybody below the age of 18 will not be allowed to sell the tobacco substances. If anybody is found to be selling tobacco items within a
certain area of the school, he or she will be slapped with a fine of Rs 200.

According to a data available with the district administration, more than one thousand people were slapped with fines in the last one year. The health department officials in the district conducted a survey in Amta I and II block in Howrah.

Awareness drives have been initiated throughout the district against the consumption of tobacco products. Meetings would be conducted in the block level in this regard, a senior official said. According to the official, anti-tobacco campaign will be conducted in various places including markets, schools and other adjoining areas.

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