Gutka worth Rs 28 lakh seized
PANJIM, APRIL 19
Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA) has booked around 40 cases and seized gutka worth Rs 28 lakh in the last four-and-a-half years.
This was part of the efforts to ban sale of tobacco products and make Goa Smoke Free.
At a review meeting of Task Force on implementation of the programme banning smoking in public places, FDA Director Salim Veljee said in the last one year, ten cases were booked for sale and transport of ghutka worth Rs 2.5 lakh. Since 2005, altogether 40 cases were booked and gutka worth Rs 28 lakh seized by FDA.
The meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S K Srivastava was held in the Secretariat to review one year of implementation of ban on smoking in public places in the State.
Several department heads of Education, Higher Education, Health, etc and Police representatives DySP Umesh gaonkar, Information Department, NGOs, attended the meeting.
Prominent member of the Task Force and NOTE president Dr Shekhar Salkar said that awareness programmes were conducted in 250 schools after two students and two teachers were provided training.
In the next academic year, another 250 schools would joining in the mission of National Tobacco Control programme.
The chief secretary stressed the need for all sections of the society including health, police and teaching community besides NGOs to take forward the message of harmful effects of smoking and to keep them off even from a single puff.
He appreciated the work done over the last one year by NGOs as well as by various government agencies.
Dr Salkar said the union health ministry, appreciating their work, asked NOTE to work in four states. Accordingly, programmes were undertaken in Patna, Gawahati, Chennai besides Goa.
In a group of youngsters, with consistent efforts, 30 % success rate is possible, he said adding that 30-40 % smokers have given up the butt.
SUGGESTIONS: Various suggestions came up at the review meeting. These include celebrating International No Smoking Day in a big way.
Besides, the month of May, all government advertisements will carry a message against smoking.
The targeted group this year will be girls and women. Hence, Dr Salkar said, the focus of the campaign would be women colleges, nursing schools, home science college, catering college, etc.
Dr Salkar said that the success rate for the last one year implementation is nearly 70 %. “Little extra efforts will give us a higher percentage to the extent of 85 %”, he said
