No-Smoking Ban Fetches Rs. 9 Lakhs

Health Minister D L Ravinder Reddy on Saturday said that Rs. 9 lakhs have been collected as fines for violating the ban on smoking in public places since October 2008.

In a written reply to the question raised by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member B Raghavendra Reddy and MLC Prof. Nageswar (from the graduates constituency) in the Legislative Council on Saturday, the Minister said that the state government has collected a fine of Rs. 8.96 lakh from the people who violated the Act 2003, which bans smoking in public places. Action is being taken against firms that are not adhering to this rule, the Minister said.

The Minister added that youth, including students, are getting addicted to various tobacco products. Keeping this in mind, efforts are being made to conduct intensive school awareness activities to educate children about the harmful effects of tobacco. Till date, as many as 1,112 schools have been covered across the state, the Minister informed.

Dr. Ravinder Reddy further added that a pictorial warning on cigarettes and gutka packets has been made compulsory.

Following the adjournment of the Council for the day, Council Chairman A Chakrapani announced that all the listed questions for the day were deemed to have been answered.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, in a written reply, said that the vacant posts of Information Commissioners will be filled up shortly.

Minister for Secondary Education, Parathasarathy, informed the members of the Council that the 37/2005 Act, pertaining to the problems of the teachers of aided schools, is under examination.

Courtesy: INN