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Govt intensifies drive against tobacco

Last Updated 31 May 2016, 04:54 IST

With May 31 observed as World No Tobacco Day, the Delhi government’s health department is intensifying its drive against tobacco in the city.

The focus will be on four departments – transport, police, education and health – which will the government has plans to make tobacco-free in the long run.

The department has been celebrating a tobacco-free fortnight starting May 23 and will go on till June 7. On Tuesday, the focus will be on clamping down on vendors selling tobacco items and raising awareness among the youths on refraining from cigarettes and chewable tobacco products.

“The department has designated five teams to intensify its drive against tobacco items in the city. We will enforce the ban on chewable products. Though routine drives continue, monitoring will be stepped up during this fortnight. Vendors who will be found violating the ban will be challaned,” said Dr S K Arora, Additional Director, Health, Directorate General Health Services (DGHS).

“In addition, we are carrying out intensive awareness drives in the form of nukkad nataks, community meetings to raise public awarenesss on the issue,” said Dr Arora.
However, the government’s plans to make four departments tobacco-free has been in the pipeline for quite some time now.

For the past few months, the anti-smoking cell department has  tried to do away with coercive methods while discouraging vendors who deal in tobacco.The department recently counselled vendors in selling alternative snack items juice, biscuits instead of tobacco.

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(Published 31 May 2016, 04:54 IST)

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