No Smoking Signages To Be Put At Bus Stand And All Public Transport Vehicles In Punjab

Chandigarh, May 17, 2016: Giving an impetus to tobacco control activities, Mr.Harmail Singh Sra, State Transport Commissioner, Punjab, in a commendable move directed all Secretaries , Regional Transport Authority, Punjab and all District Transport Officer to enforce Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003(COTPA) across Punjab. All public transport vehicles are Smoke free / Tobacco- free, no direct/indirect advertisement of tobacco products like Gutkha , Pan masala on state transport bus panels and its premises to display of anti-tobacco messages on the Transport department properties including bus panels, bus stands, bus tickets, etc is also to be ensured.
This action by the transport department came in response to the State Level Coordination Committee (SLCC) and State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC) held on 28-03-2016 under the Chairpersonship of Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Mrs. Vini Mahajan. She said that it is the responsibility of every stakeholder department and civil society who are members of the State & District Level Coordination Committee to create awareness about hazards of tobacco and implement the anti-tobacco/nicotine laws effectively.
The role of transport Department is very crucial to control the menace of tobacco/nicotine. Sh. Hussan Lal, Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration said that a coordinated effort from all stakeholders departments is the essence of controlling the menace of tobacco and nicotine. In Punjab where majority population uses public transport, the role of transport department become more crucial.
Dr. Rakesh Gupta, State Program Officer, National Tobacco Control Cell, Punjab has felicitated the transport department for this effort made by them. He said with transport department is playing an active role in the implementation of anti-tobacco laws, the fight against tobacco and nicotine shall be geared up in Punjab. Dr. Gupta also told that a Civil Writ Petition is going on in High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh in which a quarterly report is filled by the Health Department about the abuse nicotine in chemical form.