COTPA: Other districts need to act

For the second consecutive day on Friday, the administration in Srinagar carried out a major drive in order to ensure that the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA) is implemented in letter and spirit, especially outside the educational institutions and the hospitals here. The development came a day after Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad chaired a meeting of District Level Coordination Committee under National Tobacco Control Programme to review the implementation of COPTA. Such a decision is appreciable and must be implemented in spirit. The drive must not be stopped forthwith, but should continue till the people adopt the atmosphere. The smoking at the public places has been affecting the people including the non-smokers. The violations in this regard must face strict action by the government so that the health of people is not affected. On the first day of the drive, at least ten shops were sealed by the district administration Srinagar after they were found violating the act. On the second day Friday, action against the erring shopkeepers continued to ensure that the act is implemented in letter and spirit. In order to ensure strict implementation of the act, the administration in respective districts should also follow the suit and put an end to smoking at public places across the Valley, which would help in reducing the risk to the lives of people.