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Smoke
Free Jurisdictions:
· Training workshop for
developing strategies for creating smokes free cities, Chandigarh supported. The "Smoke-Free Cities” workshop was organized in Chandigarh in
December 2007 to share the Chandigarh “smoke free city” model and experience
with stakeholders from other states and to encourage replication of the same
in other cities.
 
Initiatives for effective implementation of smoke free rules:
The Govt.
of India through its comprehensive tobacco control legislation has prohibited
the smoking in public places. As per the Section 4 of the Tobacco Control
Act, A “public place” means any place to which the public have access,
whether as of right or not, and includes auditorium, hospital buildings,
railway waiting room, amusement centers, restaurants, public offices, court
buildings, educational institutions, libraries, public conveyances and the
like which are visited by general public but does not include any open space.
Further, the Govt. of
India has recently notified the Rules on
ban on smoking in public places vide notification G.S.R. 417(E) dated 30th
May, 2008. These Rules have already come into effect from 2nd
October, 2008. These new rules has expanded the definition of public places
by covering all public places including workplaces, refreshment rooms,
banquet halls, discotheques, canteen, coffee house, pubs, bars, shopping
malls and cinema halls, airport lounge, and the like. The Rules also authorize more officers, in addition to those already
identified to enforce the law and collect fine against the violation of
Section 4 of the Act.
Advocacy and mass media
campaigns for smoke free public places:
Smoke free- public awareness campaigns have been undertaken through
print advertisements and public notices which have been issued in the
national dailies in compliance of the implementation of new rules related to
ban on smoking in public places. An intensive campaign has also been
launched through television/radio spots and outdoor media.
State level enforcement initiatives
through STCC’s:
States have taken
concrete steps for effective implementation of these Rules. The State
Tobacco Control Cells are conducting raids at all public places and
collecting fines on regular basis. Boards containing the warning “No Smoking
Area- Smoking Here is an Offence” are being displayed prominently at the
entrance of all public places. The State Tobacco Control Cells have also facilitated in the formation of the State Task Force and the
District Task Force for implementing smoke free policies at State/District
level.
 
· The Boards containing the warning “No Smoking Area- Smoking Here are also
being disseminated to the Central departments to be displayed at the entrance
of all the buildings.
· A Step by Step Guidelines (Pdf)
to become Smoke Free have been developed and circulated to all the
concerned officials at national/state level for effective implementation of
the smoke free laws.
· A 24x 7 toll-free helpline on tobacco control launched
for reporting violations and providing information on tobacco related issues.
Reported violations are being forwarded to states for appropriate action.
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