HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 6
The steering committee on Tobacco Control Act has asked the police department to conduct a week-long drive from 15th to 21st January for implementation of No Smoking in hotels and restaurants and to make the display of signage boards 100 % success.
The announcement of the week-long drive was made through a press release by the Department of Information & Publicity.
The activities undertaken under the Act were reviewed at a meeting of the steering committee held here today. The meeting was attended by Salim A. Veljee, Dy Director of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Vishram U. Borkar, SP, HQ, Panaji, Dr. (Mrs) Rajnanda Dessai, Director, DHS Dr. Shekar Salkar, General Secretary, NOTE, and Dr. Ravindra S.S. Nadkarni, Chief Medical Office, NCDC, DHS.
A survey undertaken by NSS students which showed that 98% of hotel owners are aware of No Smoking rule in hotels. Around 85 % of hoteliers do not allow the clients/customers to smoke in their hotels which are a positive sign that awareness is created in the hotels and restaurants, the committee observed. The success rate of display of signage boards in the hotels was 50 %.
The steering committee lauded the efforts of NSS coordinator Mr. Vaz and all the colleges and students who participated in this survey.
The Directorate of Education has issued a circular to all the schools to report the number of gaddas/shops within 100 mts around the school which are selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. Majority of the schools have sent their reports which will be forwarded to the police department for further necessary action, the press note stated.
Any complaints regarding violation of Anti Tobacco Law may be sent to Director, Directorate of Health Services or SMS to 9822485769/9850519131, the press note added.
Meanwhile, out of 785 hotels/restaurants surveyed by NSS students in 8 Assembly constituencies, it has been found that 414 (52.7%) of such places have not put up No Smoking Boards with signage while 371 (47.3%) of the places have.
The 8 constituencies surveyed were Panaji, Vasco, Margao, Mapusa, Thivim, Siolim, Canacona and Quepem.
The survey was entrusted and coordinated by the monitoring committee of Anti-Smoking Act.
Of the 785 Hotels/Restaurants surveyed, 112 (14.3%) Hotels/Restaurants allow smoking in their places. Of the 8 constituencies surveyed, 33.3% of the Hotels/Restaurants in Siolim allow smoking in their places.
A few Restaurants stated that, if the boards are provided to them, they would display the boards. Visits to these places by enforcing authorities like the police are necessary to compel them to put up the boards and to observe No smoking in their places.
Of the 785 Hotels/Restaurants surveyed, 14 (2%) Hotels/ Restaurants are not aware that Smoking is prohibited in their places. Nearly 10% of the Hotels/Restaurants in Canacona are not aware that smoking is prohibited in Hotels and Restaurants.
