The Anti–smoking Act which was passed by the Indian government at health minister Anbumani Ramadoss’ behest last year on October 2 is making a good impact in Pune.
The FDA, Pune branch has collected fines from at least fifteen thousand and sixty three smokers who were caught flouting the rule by smoking at public places.
Shivaji Desai, assistant commissioner of FDA Pune told Pune Mirror, “The FDA Pune branch has collected a whopping fine from the smokers to the tune of rupees two lakh, twenty one thousand, nine hundred and fifty during the period of April 2008 to March 2009.” He also added that while passing this law, the government has tried to increase the scope of this law by giving the rights of fine collection to all government officers, post masters, station masters, gazzeted officers, school and college principals and hospital administrators.
Food supervisor of Pune FDA, M S Kembalkar told us, “We are getting a good response for anti–smoking act. But while collecting the fine from tobacco users, we face some problems. For example, a user swallows tobacco and denies its consumption. Or sometimes, they immediately eat chewing gum to hide the smell of tobacco and refuse to admit that they have been smoking.”
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Source: Times of India
