In a bid to reduce the consumption of tobacco, the cigarette and betel shops remained closed on Thursday on the directions of the Ranchi District Administration on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day. A number of programmes were also organised across the State Capital on World No Tobacco Day on Thursday.
District Administration had instructed the shopkeepers and had banned the sale of tobacco on May 31. And, raids were conducted in several shops across the State Capital by Ranchi, SDO Anjali Yadav. A fine of Rs. 5000 each was collected from three wholesale shops and a fine of Rs.200 each was collected from three retail shops for disobedience of instructions. Executive Magistrate, Ravi Shankar said that the awareness drives and campaigns will continue even after May 31.
The ban largely affected the tobacco consumers and sellers. A tea shop vendor at Kanke Road, Vinod said “I am not selling cigarettes today but tobacco will be sold as usual from Friday. The ban has not affected the business too much.” Shambhu Pradhan, a daily consumer of tobacco said, “Ban of tobacco on World No Tobacco Day is a great initiative to reduce the consumption. I have been unable to stop the consumption since I have been consuming tobacco since many years.” In an initiative to create maximum awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco, a rally was conducted by the staff members of Sadar Hospital. Awareness about prohibition of smoking in public areas and collection of fine of Rs. 200 on breaking the law was spread to the people. An awareness programme was also held in Sadar Hospital in which the trainee nurses and people were explained about COTPA 2003 Act of the Indian Government.
More than 300 people attended an awareness program conducted by Central Institute of Ranchi (CIP), Ranchi on World No Tobacco Day. Experts spoke about the harmful effects of tobacco and distributed booklets containing ways to get rid of addiction to tobacco. People were also given information about the benefits of leaving tobacco. Director of CIP, Dr. D. Ram said, “The cases of addiction problem have been increasing in recent years of which mostly are tobacco addiction cases.”