Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, The Punjab government has formally declared district Pathankot as the tobacco smoke free district. It would be the 20th district of the state to have been declared as tobacco smoke free district.
This was disclosed by the Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Surjit Kumar Jayani while releasing the Compliance Study Report prepared by School of Public Health PGI Chandigarh during the Civil Surgeons’ Conference here today.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the awareness about the Anti-tobacco law was very high in the state and compliance to COTPA on the basis of PGI study was between 82% to 97% in the state. He also said that the government has asked the deputy commissioners to ensure strict compliance of the government directive to strictly implement the COTPA 2003 Act in the state. Instructions have been issued to the district health officers to accelerate the surveillance in every nook and corner of the district to nab the offenders, he added.
Speaking on the occasion Ms.Vini Mahajan Principal Secretary health Punjab said that the compliance studies by PGI is being undertaken and whole of Punjab will be declared as Tobacco Smoke Free by the end of this financial year.
Dr. Karanjit Singh, DHS Punjab said that notifications have been issued by the government to control tobacco epidemic. He said that complete ban was put on flavored/scented Tobacco where as the e-cigarettes has been declared as illegal. He also said that Punjab has become the first state in the country to ban the sale of loose cigarettes which account for 70 per cent of all tobacco sales on a pan-India basis.
