Soon after the release of notification by Municipal Commissioner Shaantanu Kumar Agrahari on banning the sale of tobacco and tobacco products at regular grocery shops, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) officials have initiated the procedure to implement the order.
RMC Officer (Health), Dr. Kiran Kumari on Friday said that two months’ time will be given to the shopkeepers for obtaining license. According to the official, the process of distributing license is likely to begin from May first week. Notably, the traders have to now mandatorily obtain a license from the Municipal Corporation to sale tobacco and other such items. Tobacco and Tobacco products sellers will not be allowed to sale any other grocery items.
Meanwhile, in order to cover maximum grocery shop owners falling within the municipal periphery that deals in tobacco products along with the household items, the civic body will organize a special workshop on May 5. “To sensitize these shop owners, a special awareness workshop will be organized by RMC focusing on all basic points ranging from legal perspectives to methods of obtaining license.
The Municipal Corporation will give ample time to the shopkeepers to obtain license,” Dr. Kiran added.
Following the orders of the Government of India (GoI), the Civic Body had issued the orders on April 26. “According to the communiqué received from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI in September 2017, implementation of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 rules has been made mandatory. The law restrains sale of tobacco and tobacco products along with other edible items. Besides the sale, packaging and advertising of tobacco products within Capital City will be also administered by RMC.”
According to RMC Officer (Health), Socio, Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS) will be providing assistance to the Municipal Corporation in implementing the rules under Sections 455 and 187 of the Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011.
A consolidated report of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) suggests that nearly 39 percent of State’s population frequently consumes tobacco some form.
The GATS-2 report released a few months back suggests that Jharkhand has witnessed a considerable rise in smoking. Under the COTPA, 2003 sale of tobacco is banned within a 100-metre radius of schools and religious places.