‘Need to act against hookah bars flouting smoke-free norms’

State Tobacco Control Department collects over Rs.57 lakh fine in six years

As many as 126 women have been fined for lighting up in public and the State Tobacco Control Department has collected Rs. 57.92 lakh in fine in the past six years since the implementation of smoke-free rules which came into effect on October 2, 2008. This has been revealed by the data released by the Delhi Government’s Health Department recently.

The State Tobacco Control Department conducted 1,27,330 raids at public places and 2,55,011 raids on public service vehicles during the period and as many as 68,959 men were issued challan.

Though their number was relatively low, 126 women were issued challan for smoking in public places during the same period.

Voluntary Health Association of India executive director Bhavna Mukhopadhyay said, “The implementation of the no-smoking rules in Delhi shows the government’s commitment towards tobacco control. However, there is an urgent need to take stringent action against those clubs, hookah bars, and restaurants that are flouting the law. It should also be emulated by other States to achieve the goal of making the country smoke-free. In addition, the government must ensure that the money collected as fine should be spent on tobacco control and public health issues.”

She said that the tobacco industry, and corporations or associations like ITC Ltd. and Indian Hotel Association have filed more than 70 court cases against the ban on smoking in public places since October 2.

Meanwhile, a ban on all chewable tobacco products in Delhi is under consideration at the level of the competent authority.

Despite the creation of a challaning mechanism by the Delhi Government, there are a large number of public places which are still violating the smoke-free rules in the Capital, especially the hookah bars, said Binoy Mathew of VHAI.

“The legislation that applies to smoking in public places needs to be stringently applied to hookah bars as well. Though the rule allows some eateries to have a separate smoking area, there are still violations. The rules have a set of guidelines like the smoking zone should be a separate area and should have an automatic door to separate the smoking and non-smoking area, but this is not seen in many places. The waiters still go inside the smoking area to serve food or alcohol. It’s important that people understand that second-hand smoke is just as bad, if not worse,” he added.