Karnataka: Plan to ban smoking in bars goes up in smoke, courtesy BBMP apathy

BENGALURU: Three months after the high-powered committee for tobacco control (HPCTC) wrote to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ban smoking zones in restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs, and nearly two decades after The Karnataka Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Health of Non-Smokers Act (KPSPHNSA), 2001, the civic body is still dragging its feet to implement it.

The letter was written after NR Markhandeya, Deputy Director (Fire Prevention), Karnataka fire and emergency services wrote to the HPCTC that hotels, bars and restaurants have highly combustible material and smokers cause fire hazards in these buildings. In the interest of public safety, these areas should be declared non-smoking areas, he wrote.

Cigarettes and other tobacco products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) says that all public places should be smoke free.  Section 3 of KPSPHNSA also prohibits smoking in public areas.

Dr Vishal Rao U S, noted oncologist and member of HPCTC, government of Karnataka, said, “Second-hand smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases. Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) shows that exposure to non-smokers by tobacco smoke is 23.9 per cent at public places and 14 per cent of this exposure happens at eateries, hotels, bars and restaurants.”“Hence, to prevent second hand smoke exposure and for effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases, it is a must for prevention of smoking in public places,” he added.

HPCTC members said that Dr MN Lokesh, Chief Health Officer (Public Health) was not issuing notices to eateries to remove designated smoking areas. Lokesh wasn’t available for comment.  The Karnataka Legislative Assembly Petition Committee had also written to the Health Secretary Ajay Seth to implement the same but it is yet to be enforced. A task force for non-communicable diseases headed by former minister KJ George had also written to Seth on the same three months ago.

Now, report COTPA violations via app

On World No-Tobacco Day on May 31, ‘One million signature campaign’ will be launched by Consortium For Tobacco Free Karnataka (CFTFK) that aims to collect 10 lakh signatures from public demanding removal of ‘Smoking Zones’ in restaurants and bars across the state. A mobile app called CFTFK will be launched in six cities, including Bengaluru. Public can download it from Google Playstore from Thursday and report any COTPA violation using this app.