Mysuru: In a bid to enforce the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) in city, the District Administration, with assistance from the City and District Police and the Department of Health and Family Welfare launched a special drive here yesterday.

The special drive commenced from Jayalakshmipuram and covered bars, restaurants, petty shops, kiosks near educational institutions, bus stands and other public places.

The objective of the drive was also to spread awareness on the provisions of COTPA and on the importance of public co-operation to enforce the Act, which bans the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within 100 mts of educational institutions.

During the drive, the authorities registered 17 cases and Rs. 17,000 fine were collected from the offenders. The authorities said that the drive would be extended to all Taluk Centres.

Shop and bar owners were instructed to display ‘No Smoking’ boards besides prominently displaying caution notices on how tobacco consumption is injurious to health.

The authorities also informed them that any form of advertisement of tobacco products was illegal and also sale of loose cigarettes.