The Srinagar administration Tuesday launched a city-wide crackdown on illegal sale of cigarettes among other tobacco products holding simultaneous inspections of markets in various areas.
An official statement said the inspections were held in thewake of growing concerns about increasing prevalence of substance abuse inSrinagar and to verify adherence to the Cigarettes & Other Tobacco ProductsAct or COTPA 2003. The Act prohibits advertisement of and provides forregulation of trade and commerce in production and distribution of cigarettesand other tobacco products.
Large number of stores and vendors situated at differentplaces were found selling cigarettes without the mandatory pictorial warningson packets thereof. Huge cache of such cigarettes was also seized from variousmarkets during the inspections.
Some 50 stores and vendors including those found sellingcigarettes among other tobacco products close to schools among othereducational institutions in violations of COTPA and violating other provisionsthereof were booked with several of them sealed during the inspections.
A team of officers led by Tehsildar South Srinagar RabiaYousuf raided cigarette dealers and sellers at Maisuma, Koker Bazar, ResidencyRoad. The team comprising
Naib Tehsildar /Executive Magistrate 1st class Gogjibagh Fayaz Ahmad Baba, Naib Tehsildar Kothibagh M Ashrafbesides Hilal Ahmad Mir, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety, officers from Foodsafety Act Department, Medical officer Health Department, SDPO Kothibagh, SHOMaisuma, SHO Kothibagh also seized huge consignment of cigarettes. Also otherteams of different locations were deputed for the same drive.
The statement said data suggests that the annual amountspent on tobacco consumption in Srinagar is a staggering 131 crore which is thehighest in the State. This among other forms of substance abuse involving bothgenders is growing into a serious cause of concern in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary whohas issued strict instructions to concerned officers to crackdown on violatorsand offenders said violations of COTPA account for serious offences and will bedealt with in the context of public safety.
Dr Shahid assured of sustained efforts to check substanceabuse in Srinagar but also urged the general public and parents in particularto do its bit emphasising their important role therein and to assist theadministration in its efforts to curb prevalence thereof.
Last month a district level coordination committee comprising15 members from different departments and organisations was constituted in thedistrict for the implementation of COTPA.
Different members of the committee have been assigneddifferent roles and responsibilities for ensuring effective and functional applicationof tobacco control in the district.