Team Herald
VASCO: The Mormugao Taluka Enforcement Squad conducted inspections to check violations of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) on Tuesday at Mormugao Harbour and Baina area. The Enforcement Squad booked cases for violation of Section 4 and 6 (a) and collected fines of Rs 1400 from Bar & Restaurants and grocery shops at Baina and Mormugao Harbour.
The Squad was led by Joint Mamlatdar-II Ravishekar Nipanikar and GOACAN Coordinator Roland Martins. They were accompanied by the mamladar office staff and police personnel. The squad found that the COTPA violations were taking place near the premises of high schools. A detailed report of the same will be submitted to the South Goa Collector.
The grocery shops and bars & restaurants which were openly displaying and selling the tobacco products had not displayed the mandatory signage “Sale of tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 years is a punishable offence.”
To ensure the compliance of Section 6 (b) of COTPA, the Taluka Enforcement Squad has decided to recommend to the Collector for a joint meeting with the Chief Officer of Mormugao Municipal Council and Mormugao ADEI.
As per Section 6 (b) of COTPA the sale of tobacco products is prohibited within the radius of 100 yards of any educational institution and therefore the institutions have to display the required signage on its compound walls.
