Smoking ban opens to a great start in city

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-03
PANAJI - The city seems to be cautiously greeting the smoking ban with a casual drive around the city failing to nab any perpetrators bent on defying the ban that came into force at midnight on October 2.
A round in the evening by this reporter of the places that people normally light up like the Kadamba bus stand, the children’s park, the Kala Academy canteen as well as a round around the city did not see any instances of people smoking openly. However, as Thursday was a public holiday the true test would be when the city opens to business and office goers as usual.
This ban was announced recently by the Union Health Minister, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss who had asked all government and private buildings to enforce this rule and put a stiff penalty on those who were caught out.
The health services is the implementing authority for the same in the state and the same would be enforced by flying squads, one in each districts. Help would also be rendered by National Organisation for Tobacco Education and like-minded NGOs.
According to information received, the squads would check specific complaints about smoking in public places like government and private offices, court buildings, educational institutions, parks and gardens, hotels and restaurants, bars, railway stations and waiting rooms, airports, bus stops, auditoriums, hospitals, libraries and amusement centres. Even discos and pubs are not spared from the ban.