4 months, 20K challans: Delhi Police's resolve towards 'no public-smoking'
If you can successfully kick the butt while in the capital, thank Delhi Police for it. Showing strong resolve towards eliminating public-smoking, Delhi Police has issued double the number of receipts in just three months this year than last year, fining people for smoking in public. Under JJ Act, two shops in Anand Parbat and Patel Nagar were booked for selling tobacco-products to minors.
Cops getting helped by NGO Sambandh Health Foundation
Last year from February till December, Delhi Police issued 10,074 challans but this year, till March, 20,761 people were fined for smoking in public. Under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, (COTPA), people smoking in parks, bus stands, colonies were booked by cops. The police force is working along with Sambandh Health Foundation, an NGO, in carrying out this initiative.
Except for East district, rest all recorded spike in defaulters
District-wise, East recorded a dip in defaulters this year as compared to last year, with 523 getting fined last year, but only 39 this year. The maximum difference of 2,200 between last year's and this year's figures was recorded by Shahdara. South, South-East and North together registered 9,250 challans this year, as compared to 6,837 last year.
Study: Over 6.25 lakh Indian children smoke cigarettes daily
According to a study by American Cancer Society and US-based research firm Vital Strategies, over 6.25L Indian children smoke cigarettes every day-a sign of a serious public health threat. The study claimed that 17,887 Indian lives are lost weekly to consumption of tobacco. However, this number is less than the average deaths caused by tobacco smoking in medium Human Development Index (HDI) countries.
