The Odisha government has initiated inter departmental coordination action plan for prohibition of the consumption of tobacco in the state.
A high level meeting held here yesterday decided to intensify the Information Education and Communication (IEC) activities to make people aware about the dangers involved in consumption of tobacco.
Chief Secretary J K Mohapatra who chaired the meeting has directed to strengthen enforcement mechanisms for implementation of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act ( COTPA)-2003.
It has been decided to empower ASI police as the notified enforcement authority under the Act.Presently,the Sub Inspector of Police and above rank officers, Drug Inspectors, Food Safety Officers are functioning as enforcement authority.
The Odisha government has banned production, consumption and sale of all tobacco related products in 2013 and since then about 34,600 violators have been fined up to March, 2014.
The capital city of Bhubaneswar has been declared smoke-free since Ocober,2010.The state government has also strengthened the enforcement activities in Khurdha, Kalahandi and Ganjam districts.
The Tobacco Control Programme has been integrated with Aids Control society, Non-Communicable Disease programme, Mental Health Programme and Revised national Tuberculosis Control Programme.
The meeting suggested for a rise in the tax on the tobacco related products to minimize its production and consumption.
The Best Practices for prohibition of tobacco consumption applied in states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu were discussed in the meeting.
It was decided in the meeting to take up the measures like government servants declaring not to consume tobacco, no selling of tobacco products near hospitals and schools, state enacting the Smoking and Spitting Act, Authorization of enforcement officials at district, municipal, block and village levels, Intensive media campaign and Tobacco free guidelines for issuing sanitary certificates to schools.
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