Ensure strict implementation of Act governing travel & ticket agents: Punjab govt to DCs

Chandigarh: Two days after deportees from the US landed in Amritsar and as the crackdown on illegal travel agents began in the state, Punjab govt Friday asked deputy commissioners of all districts to ensure strict implementation of the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act and send a monthly report to the home secretary.
The missive sent from the office of Punjab chief secretary, a copy of which is with the TOI, asked deputy commissioners to "ensure proper implementation" of the provisions of the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation [Act] "in light of the fact that many people are getting deported from USA".
It further read, "Monthly Reports thereof shall be sent to Secretary, Department of Home Affairs."
The main objectives of the Act are regulation of the profession of travel agents and, through an amendment, also of coaching institutes of IELTS, ticketing agents and general sales agents of airlines.
The Act defines human smuggling as "illegally exporting, sending or transporting persons out of India or any type of facilitation thereto by receiving from them or their parents, relatives or any other person interested in their welfare, by inducing alluring or deceiving or cheating".
It came to be called as Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act in 2014 through one of the amendments in The Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012, the principal Act, which was enacted on Jan 4, 2013 after the governor's assent.
As per Section 13 of the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act which deals with the penalties, whoever contravenes the provisions of this Act or keeps or uses the device for human smuggling, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period "which may be extended upto seven years depending upon the crime or offences committed and with fine which may extend to Rs 5 lakh".
Before the amendment, in the principal Act, there was a provision of punishment of "not less than three years, which may extend to seven years and with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees".