Mysuru: In a bid to ensure the health of non-smokers, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has come forward to strictly implement the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act), 2013.

As part of it, the MCC had organised a training workshop on COTPA Act for its Health Inspectors at a private hotel here on Wednesday.

Speaking after inaugurating the workshop, District Health Officer Dr.R. Venkatesh said that putting curbs on unauthorised sale of cigarettes at open and public spaces would largely help in making the city tobacco-free.

Explaining the provisions under Sections 4,5,6A, 6B and 7 of the COTPA Act, 2013 for safeguarding public health from the hazards of cigarette smoking, he said that the workshop is being held on the measures to be taken for making schools and colleges, bus stands, public offices, bars and restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels and other public places as ‘No Smoking Zones.’

MCC Health Officer Dr. Jayanth said that the MCC health staff have started acting on instructions from the MCC Commissioner to make the city a ‘No Smoking Zone.’ Pointing out that the MCC has directed the staff to ensure ‘No Smoking Zones’ in MCC licensed shops and establishments, Dr. Jayanth said the MCC will allow smoking zones only at designated places.

Highlighting the MCC’s efforts to ban smoking at public places, he said that the staff and officials have been instructed to invoke the provisions under COTPA Act for making the city a ‘No Smoking Zone.’

Dr. T. Shivaprasad, Surveillance Officer of District Tobacco Control Cell, in his address, said that over 10 lakh people in the country were losing their life every year due to tobacco consumption. The Union Government, taking serious note of this, introduced COTPA Act, 2013, according to which smoking is banned in schools and colleges, bus stations, Railway Stations, theatres, hotels, bars and restaurants, pubs, clubs, community halls, public offices and such other public places. The Act has also made smoking in ‘No Smoking Zones’ a criminal offence, as smoking in public places poses a threat to the health of non-smokers and other people too.

He further said that GATS2 (Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2) fact sheet has also said that posing a threat to the life of others by smoking cigarettes at public places is a criminal offence.

The MCC health officials have been instructed to strictly implement the provisions under Sections 4,5,6A,6A and 7 of COTPA Act to ensure public health and also to make the city free of tobacco.

For more details on COTPA Act,  call Mob: 98809-19907 or 88674-34888.

Activist Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, MCC health staff and others attended the workshop.