Ranchi: Two months after the Ranchi district administration declared the state capital as smoking-free district based on the findings of a compliance survey conducted across five blocks; the authorities have started a massive crackdown against sale of banned pan masalas and loose cigarettes.
Constituted on the directions of Ranchi DC Chhavi Ranjan, 13 teams conducted raids at over 200 shops in the city and issued challans to 166 owners for being involved in sale of pan masala products. The teams were also asked to demarcate 100 metres of area around educational institutions with a yellow line in order to prevent the sale of any kind of tobacco products near educational institutes.
Talking to TOI, Ranjan said: “More than 165 people have been issued challans and fines worth Rs 36,000 under various provisions of the law have been collected till Tuesday evening. The crackdown is aimed to ensure a complete ban on sale of tobacco products around educational institutes and to keep banned tobacco products out of Ranchi. The crackdown will continue in urban as well as rural areas and circle officers in urban and Block development officers have been asked to conduct the raids in rural areas regularly.”
Meanwhile, officials of the district tobacco control cell along with district administration officials conducted surprise inspection of several school campuses and removed several shops situated within 100 metres from educational institutes and were found selling tobacco products. “A total of 55 school campuses were inspected by us along with education department officials and apart from marking yellow lines which demarcated 100 metres distance many shops were closed and shifted which were falling within 100 metres radius of the school,” said district consultant with Ranchi tobacco control cell.
On being asked about the areas where shops were either closed or shifted from near educational institutes during crackdown Kumar said that more than two dozen shops have been removed or closed across Purulia road, Kanke road, Bariatu and Doranda areas.