Barrackpore police to crack down on those smoking in public
Kolkata: Barrackpore Police Commissionerate has decided to take stringent action against those who will be found smoking in public places. Penal action will also be taken against the sellers of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions.
One of the main purposes of the move is to keep children away from tobacco addiction. With an aim to transform Barrackpore into a tobacco-free zone, the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate organised a walkathon, a programme to spread awareness among people and the students of various schools and colleges.
The programme was organised by Barrackpore Police Commissionerate in association with Narayana Health, Howrah and Sambandh Health Foundation. The event started with a walk from Barrackpore Police Line via Chiria More to Sukanta Sadan, with the active participation of students from various schools and colleges, followed by a counselling session on tobacco. A prize distribution ceremony was also arranged, where 20 students were felicitated for winning an anti-tobacco poster competition.
Dr Rajesh Kumar Singh, Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, flagged off the Walkathon. Chairman of Barrackpore Municipality Shri Uttam Das, along with doctors, teachers, police personnel and more than 500 students took part in the Walkathon.
The main goal of the Walkathon was to highlight the risk factors associated with the use of tobacco, protect the present and future generations from the tobacco epidemic and create awareness among masses.
The awareness session was aimed at raising public awareness about the negative effects of smoking, highlighting the social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use, along with promotion of tobacco-free educational institutes to prevent initiation of tobacco consumption among youth.
According to GATS-2 data, 33.5% of all adults in West Bengal, amounting to 2.3 crore people, use some form of tobacco and 1.5 lakh people die every year from to tobacco related diseases.
It is estimated that more than 440 children start consuming tobacco daily in Bengal. The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) prohibits smoking in public places, direct/indirect advertising and promotion, sale to/by minors, sale within 100 yards of schools and sale of tobacco-products without statutory warnings. These COTPA rules were shared with the people at the event.
"Children are being indulged in the use of tobacco - both chewing and smoking - which leads to high incidence of oral cancer and other illnesses. Barrackpore Police is committed towards ensuring a completely tobacco-free atmosphere for the youth, through strict enforcement of COTPA," Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore, Dr Rajesh Kr Singh said.
He also added: "Immediate penal action shall be taken against offenders for smoking in public places, selling tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions and to minors. By initiating this campaign, we are trying to keep the children away from tobacco addiction."
