Mysore/Mysuru: “If any one is found violating tobacco sales rules, officials who impose fines on them should take steps to issue show cause notices to the violators,” said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham.

Addressing the quarterly district-level progress review meeting of the District Tobacco Control Cell at his office on Monday, the DC said that shops with license and found violating the rules should be issued notice to warn them and legal action should be initiated against the shopkeepers who do not correct themselves despite issuing notice to them. Shops without license should be closed down, he added.

Pointing out that encouragement should be given to grow tobacco alternative crops, the DC instructed the officials to collect information from farmers who have grown alternate crops for tobacco and give wide publicity to it.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad, District Surveillance Officer Dr. Shivaprasad, Taluk Health Officer (THO) Dr. Mahadevaprasad, Dy.SP Yogendranath and others were present.