PHOTO/VIDEO – JITENDER PAL- TEN NEWS
STORY BY- KASHIF
New Delhi: Beware before you indulge in smoking at public places in Delhi. Till date, Delhi police have fined 30000 people under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) act which made public smoking prohibited.
Delhi Police does commendable work towards a Tobacco Free Delhi and is running a special campaign against offenders under COTPA. From a level of 700 challans in September 2017, city police have raised this level to 6,000 challans in February 2018. Of 14, top three districts have performed very well – South East Delhi, North Delhi and South district.
To felicitate top three performing district officials, Sambandh Health Foundation (SHF), Max India Foundation (MIF) in as association with Delhi police organised a felicitation programme in Delhi today and honoured the respective police officials.
Speaking on the ocassion, Special Commissioner Law & Order (South) P Kamraj said, “We first trained and sensitized our police force on COTPA. Thereafter, we started taking action for people caught smoking in public places or selling tobacco within 100 yards of an educational institute. As a result, till date more than 30000 people have been fined under COTPA in Delhi.”
“We will continue this campaign more effectively,” he added.
Applauding Delhi Police, CEO, Max India Foundation, Mohini Daljeet Singh said, “Delhi has a tobacco prevalence of 17.8%, and this causes more than 10,000 deaths per annum attributable to tobacco as per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2017. 81 children initiate tobacco usage per day. We commend the good work done by Delhi Police in saving our youth.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Chinmoy Biswal of Southeast district, DCP Jatin Narwal of North district and DCP Romil Baniya of South district received mementoes.
Later, Chairman Max Oncology and VoTV Patron Dr. Harit Chaturvedi, said, “50% of all cancers and 90% of oral cancers are caused due to tobacco. If tobacco is eliminated from society, we can prevent 50% of all cancers. In Delhi about 11% of population smokes but this subjects the other 89% to second hand smoke and puts their health at risk. Hence this Campaign by Delhi Police protects the health of Delhi Public and is to be applauded.”
