PATNA: While the world observes No-Tobacco Day on Friday, Bihar earns the dubious distinction of having 53.5% of its population being tobacco consumers, the highest in the country.
Despite the state government banning gutka and paan masala containing tobacco or nicotine on this very day last year, its clandestine sale at inflated price is an open secret. However, the designated food safety officer, Ashish Kumar Singh, on Wednesday said, "What is on sale is only the old stock! The strips you see hanging are merely the paan masalas that don't have nicotine content."
Asked about the compliance report that the Supreme Court had sought on gutka ban, Singh said, "The SC only asked the states which haven't banned it till date to file their replies." However, a copy of the order which is available with the TOI clearly states, "We also direct the secretaries, health department of all the 23 states and 5 union territories to file their affidavits within four weeks on the issue of total compliance imposed on manufacturing and sale of gutka and paan masala with tobacco and/or nicotine."
Also, health secretary cum food safety commissioner Sanjay Kumar, in July last year, had asked the designated food safety officers of the state to randomly collect samples of paan masalas that claim not having nicotine and send them to lab for tests. Asked about its status, Kumar said, "The report hasn't come yet."
Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) came into effect in 2008. Section 4 of the Act prohibits smoking at public places. Section 6 (a) of the Act prohibits sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of any school. But, ask the district nodal officer of tobacco control in Patna, Dr Rajneesh Choudhary, about the number of people fined for violating the Act, and he says, "In December 2012, we received a figure of total 30 challans from different police stations."
Two months ago, Patna DM N Saravana Kumar appointed ADM (law & order) Ramesh Kumar to implement the Act. When reached for his comment, the DM candidly said, "No challans could be issued after the order. From May 31, the mechanism would start."
Also, in February last year, the ADG, CID had asked all the SSPs to include COTPA violation cases in their monthly crime meetings and send a copy to Cancer Awareness Society president TP Sinha. Sinha said Patna, like many other districts, failed to report it till April this year.
Similarly, the district education officers were asked to submit a monthly report to the education department about the Act's violation near schools. Patna failed in this regard too.
Deepak Mishra, executive director of SEEDS, which has been working in seven districts for the implementation of COTPA, says, "The day we organize a workshop in any district, challans are issued. As soon as we come back, it's all over."
Despite the state government banning gutka and paan masala containing tobacco or nicotine on this very day last year, its clandestine sale at inflated price is an open secret. However, the designated food safety officer, Ashish Kumar Singh, on Wednesday said, "What is on sale is only the old stock! The strips you see hanging are merely the paan masalas that don't have nicotine content."
Asked about the compliance report that the Supreme Court had sought on gutka ban, Singh said, "The SC only asked the states which haven't banned it till date to file their replies." However, a copy of the order which is available with the TOI clearly states, "We also direct the secretaries, health department of all the 23 states and 5 union territories to file their affidavits within four weeks on the issue of total compliance imposed on manufacturing and sale of gutka and paan masala with tobacco and/or nicotine."
Also, health secretary cum food safety commissioner Sanjay Kumar, in July last year, had asked the designated food safety officers of the state to randomly collect samples of paan masalas that claim not having nicotine and send them to lab for tests. Asked about its status, Kumar said, "The report hasn't come yet."
Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) came into effect in 2008. Section 4 of the Act prohibits smoking at public places. Section 6 (a) of the Act prohibits sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of any school. But, ask the district nodal officer of tobacco control in Patna, Dr Rajneesh Choudhary, about the number of people fined for violating the Act, and he says, "In December 2012, we received a figure of total 30 challans from different police stations."
Two months ago, Patna DM N Saravana Kumar appointed ADM (law & order) Ramesh Kumar to implement the Act. When reached for his comment, the DM candidly said, "No challans could be issued after the order. From May 31, the mechanism would start."
Also, in February last year, the ADG, CID had asked all the SSPs to include COTPA violation cases in their monthly crime meetings and send a copy to Cancer Awareness Society president TP Sinha. Sinha said Patna, like many other districts, failed to report it till April this year.
Similarly, the district education officers were asked to submit a monthly report to the education department about the Act's violation near schools. Patna failed in this regard too.
Deepak Mishra, executive director of SEEDS, which has been working in seven districts for the implementation of COTPA, says, "The day we organize a workshop in any district, challans are issued. As soon as we come back, it's all over."
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