JAIPUR: Rajasthan has conducted the highest number of challans for violation of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 under tobacco free youth campaign launched by the Centre across the country. The Centre has issued the list of states for effective implementation of the Act. The state government has taken serious steps to discourage the use of tobacco among the people. The WHO had awarded the state for the anti-tobacco campaigns run by the state government in the past.
Under Section 4 of COTPA, (No person shall smoke in any public place), the state government has conducted 1.29 lakh challan, while Karnataka has conducted 10,426 challan securing second place, at third place is Tamil Nadu with 9,873 challan.
Under section 6 of COTPA, the state conducted 34,053 challans and stood first, while with 13,310 challans Karnataka was at the second place and Tamil Nadu with 3,519 challans got the third position in the country. Under section 6, no person shall sell, offer for sale, or permit sale of, cigarette or any other tobacco product- (a) to any person who is under eighteen years of age, and (b) in an area within a radius of one hundred yards of any educational institution.
Besides, for discouraging use of tobacco, the state government took out 58,633 rallies which were the highest in the country, while Mehalaya and Himachal Pradesh took out 7,897 and 6,000 rallies to book second and third place.
Additional chief secretary (health) Shubhra Singh said that the Centre has given the Tobacco Control Excellence Award to Rajasthan for the innovations in the field of tobacco control and excellent implementation of the COTPA. State Nodal Officer, National tobacco control programme Dr SN Dholpuria and Narendra Singh received the award.
Singh said that participation of youth has been ensured through Tobacco Free Youth Campaign in the state.
Under this, a 60-day tobacco-free Rajasthan action plan was implemented and various activities including awareness programs, oath taking were conducted.
Under Section 4 of COTPA, (No person shall smoke in any public place), the state government has conducted 1.29 lakh challan, while Karnataka has conducted 10,426 challan securing second place, at third place is Tamil Nadu with 9,873 challan.
Under section 6 of COTPA, the state conducted 34,053 challans and stood first, while with 13,310 challans Karnataka was at the second place and Tamil Nadu with 3,519 challans got the third position in the country. Under section 6, no person shall sell, offer for sale, or permit sale of, cigarette or any other tobacco product- (a) to any person who is under eighteen years of age, and (b) in an area within a radius of one hundred yards of any educational institution.
Besides, for discouraging use of tobacco, the state government took out 58,633 rallies which were the highest in the country, while Mehalaya and Himachal Pradesh took out 7,897 and 6,000 rallies to book second and third place.
Additional chief secretary (health) Shubhra Singh said that the Centre has given the Tobacco Control Excellence Award to Rajasthan for the innovations in the field of tobacco control and excellent implementation of the COTPA. State Nodal Officer, National tobacco control programme Dr SN Dholpuria and Narendra Singh received the award.
Singh said that participation of youth has been ensured through Tobacco Free Youth Campaign in the state.
Under this, a 60-day tobacco-free Rajasthan action plan was implemented and various activities including awareness programs, oath taking were conducted.
