The district police have failed to implement the State police head's order regarding the ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within 100 metres radius of the educational institutions in the districts. In July this year, in view of increasing cases of sale of drugs and other narcotics around educational areas, State Director General of Police BS Sidhu had directed the district police heads to enforce Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 in their districts strictly. When this correspondent visited several educational institutions, including DAV (PG) College, DBS (PG) College and other private colleges and schools in the state capital, it was observed that cigarettes and other tobacco products are being sold within 100 metres of the institutes' campuses. Moreover, Uttarakhand Youth Tobacco Survey (UYTS) report revealed that 20.8 per cent the students had purchased them inside 100 yards of the schools, indicating that acquiring of tobacco products by minors is relatively easy in Uttarakhand inspite of the regulation on their sale to the minors.
The tobacco menace is turning grim in Uttarakhand and 12.2 per cent of the students and 20.8 per cent of the boys, belonging to the age group 13-17 years, are consuming tobacco. The survey revealed that 55 per cent of smokers studying in Classes XI-XII spend more than Rs10 a day on purchase of cigarette sticks.
DGP Sidhu had earlier said that teams comprising police officers at PHQ will be deployed at some police stations to verify whence such products are sold. Such teams are yet to be deployed, it
is learnt.
DGP Sidhu told The Pioneer: "In view of the mounting cases of sale of drugs and other narcotics around educational areas, we had recently directed the district police heads to enforce Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 strictly and ensure that such products are not sold within 100 metres radius of the educational institutions."
Sidhu further said that he had also directed the police officers to impose penalty of Rs 200 on the violators and later arrest them under section 24 of this Act.
According to him, the police station heads have already submitted self-certificates, stating that they had succeeded in implementing the ban of sale of drugs and other narcotics within 100 metres radius of the education institutions in their
jurisdictions.
"Action against the officers will be taken if such violations are reported from around the educational institutions in their jurisdictions," he added.