Police step up anti-tobacco vigil near educational institutes across Pune
Gitesh Shelke | TNN | Jan 21, 2019, 07:16 IST
Representative imagePUNE: The Pune police have intensified their action against hookah parlours and shops selling tobacco products near the educational institutes in the city.
In 2018, the police had booked as many as 781people for breaking the law. The year before, the police had taken action against 217 people, including 145 found dealing in or using hookah. The same year, the police had raided and acted against 15 hookah parlours or establishments.
The Maharashtra government had amended the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade, and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), 2003, to ban hookah parlours. The state also issued a notification in this regard in October 2018. The decision was taken after 14 persons died in Mumbai while celebrating New Year’s Eve in 2017.
The central government had banned the sale of tobacco products within a 100-metre radius of educational institutions, under the COTPA.
“We raided all the places where hookah was being illegally served to customers,” inspector Sunil Dorge of the anti-narcotics cell of Pune police told TOI.
“The majority of the action was focused on Wanowrie, Kondhwa, Koregaon Park, Vimannagar, Shivajinagar, Chatushrungi and other areas. Police teams raided as many as 37 places in the city in 2018, where hookah was being served illegally,” Dorge said.
He said police took action against the hookah parlour operators as well as the customers nabbed on the spot smoking hookah.
“Both the hookah parlour’s management and the customers were aware of the fact that hookah was banned, but they were found smoking and dealing in hookah in public places, forcing our hand,” he said.
The cell took action against 429 people for smoking hookah and 37 establishment owners for providing hookah in their establishments in 2018, Dorge said.
Cases were filed against these people, who were asked to report to different courts. The courts fined them according to the provisions of COTPA.
Similarly, police took action against 315 persons for selling tobacco products near educational institutes in the city last year. “These are the paan stalls, handcarts and grocery shops, which were involved in the sale of tobacco products near schools, colleges and other institutes,” he said.
Touching upon the increase in the number of people booked in such cases, Dorge said police were taking continuous action against violators. “Our teams go out late at night and keep an eye on such establishments, which are known to sell hookah and tobacco products,” he said.
Dorge said that the police will continue be vigilant and carry out continuous raids on hookah parlours this year as well.
In 2018, the police had booked as many as 781people for breaking the law. The year before, the police had taken action against 217 people, including 145 found dealing in or using hookah. The same year, the police had raided and acted against 15 hookah parlours or establishments.
The Maharashtra government had amended the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade, and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), 2003, to ban hookah parlours. The state also issued a notification in this regard in October 2018. The decision was taken after 14 persons died in Mumbai while celebrating New Year’s Eve in 2017.
The central government had banned the sale of tobacco products within a 100-metre radius of educational institutions, under the COTPA.
“We raided all the places where hookah was being illegally served to customers,” inspector Sunil Dorge of the anti-narcotics cell of Pune police told TOI.
“The majority of the action was focused on Wanowrie, Kondhwa, Koregaon Park, Vimannagar, Shivajinagar, Chatushrungi and other areas. Police teams raided as many as 37 places in the city in 2018, where hookah was being served illegally,” Dorge said.
He said police took action against the hookah parlour operators as well as the customers nabbed on the spot smoking hookah.
“Both the hookah parlour’s management and the customers were aware of the fact that hookah was banned, but they were found smoking and dealing in hookah in public places, forcing our hand,” he said.
The cell took action against 429 people for smoking hookah and 37 establishment owners for providing hookah in their establishments in 2018, Dorge said.
Cases were filed against these people, who were asked to report to different courts. The courts fined them according to the provisions of COTPA.
Similarly, police took action against 315 persons for selling tobacco products near educational institutes in the city last year. “These are the paan stalls, handcarts and grocery shops, which were involved in the sale of tobacco products near schools, colleges and other institutes,” he said.
Touching upon the increase in the number of people booked in such cases, Dorge said police were taking continuous action against violators. “Our teams go out late at night and keep an eye on such establishments, which are known to sell hookah and tobacco products,” he said.
Dorge said that the police will continue be vigilant and carry out continuous raids on hookah parlours this year as well.
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