Karnataka - Bangalore

Agencies clueless on enforcing ban on smoking

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL: The ban order on smoking will come into force tomorrow.

Bangalore: The State Health Department and the police are clueless on how to implement the ban on smoking in public places, which comes into effect on October 2.

While the State’s anti-tobacco cell claims to have nominated 102 officials from various departments to implement the ban, health and police officials are not too sure whether the ban can be enforced.

The Police Department is yet to receive any communication on the new rule from the Health Department.

“We don’t know what would be the role of the police in implementing the ban. We are ready to enforce it and do whatever is possible once our role is defined,” City Police Commissioner Shankar M. Bidari told The Hindu.

According to the new rule, smoking is prohibited in hotels, restaurants and places where food and drink can be purchased (including surrounding open spaces containing refreshment rooms, banquet halls, discotheques, canteens, coffee houses, pubs, bars and airport lounges), workplaces, shopping malls, cinemas, educational institutions and libraries, hospitals and auditoria, open air theatres, amusement centres, stadiums, rail and bus stations.

However, smoking will be permitted in hotels with 30 rooms or more, in restaurants with seating capacity of 30 or more and at airports but only in specific areas earmarked for smoking.

But will the ban work? Who will collect the fine? Where will the fine be deposited? Will the offenders get a receipt for the fine they have paid?”

All these and many more doubts are bothering health officials. Some also wonder whether the ban will actually increase the urge among smokers to smoke.

Prakash (Nodal Officer), State Anti-Tobacco Cell, said the implementation of the ban needed a multi-pronged approach.

“We have sent circulars to all departments and have also nominated 102 officials, who are empowered to take action against smoking in public offices.

“However, it may be difficult to enforce the ban throughout the State initially,” he said.

Asserting that awareness had to be created among the public about the ill effects of smoking, Dr. Prakash said district anti-tobacco cells had been set up in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute and Gulbarga District Hospital.

With most software and business process outsourcing companies having a blanket ban on smoking, getting the law enforced will be relatively easy. Mahesh S., a software engineer who works in Electronics City, said that companies earlier had informal smoking and no-smoking zones.

“It has been a while since we were issued a note not to smoke inside the premises. We usually step out of the gates or find small pockets where we can smoke inconspicuously. There is also a complete lack of clarity on what this ban means to us,” he said.

At present, a few companies have designated smoking areas outside their campus. However, corporates maintained that they have not received any notice from the Government or any authority regarding this issue.

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