Srinagar, May 3:  The District Development Commissioner, Mehraj Ahmed Kakroo and the City police chief, Javed Reyaz Bedar on Monday led an Anti-Tobacco Squad to pull up the smokers violating norms, in the summer capital.
The squad inspected some government offices, school vicinities and shops. While a student was caught smoking red-handed, a shopkeeper was fined for selling the fags near a school at Raj Bagh. Later, a huge quantity of confiscated cigarettes were put to ashes at Mushtaq Memorial Press Enclave.
The SSP Srinagar said the purpose of the drive to make people aware about the ban on smoking at public places.
“The general public isn’t so aware about the issue so we wanted to send a message  among various circles in this regard,” the SSP told Greater Kashmir. He said the smoking couldn’t help any smoker but would make a ill impact on his or her life.
“Let the people understand the ill effects of smoking in the perspective of a belief that a healthy nation can think better,” the SPP added.
“An interesting and positive observation of the visit to the government offices was that we didn’t find any ashtrays on the tables as it used to be in the past,” Bedar added.
An official handout later said: “The squad inspected Rural Development Complex, Lal Mandi, Agriculture Complex, Horticulture complex, Lal Ded hospital, and Old Secretariat offices.”
“Cigarettes were confiscated from a shopkeeper selling cigarettes within 100 yards of a school at Rajbagh,” Aamir Ali, OSD to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir said.
Others who participated in the drive include: Muhammed Akbar, Addl Dy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Mehraj Ahmed, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dildar DHO, Khursheed Ahmed Community Health Officer, Aamir Ali Head Disaster Management & OSD with Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Chief Education Officer Srinagar, Nazir Ahmed, Dy Controller Drug & Food Control Deptt, Asst Controller Drug Control Deptt, Food Inspectors, MA Naim and Satinder Singh, SHO Rajbagh, GM Wudu, SP Traffic, Mauzam Bakshi, Dy Chief Warden Civil Defence and AK Wani Programme Officer, J&K Voluntary Health Association.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 3 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 3 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 4 May 2010 00:00:00 IST