Activists want tobacco firms out of CSR ambit

 

Chennai: Members of the Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control (TNPFTC) staged a demonstration on Saturday near the Chepauk guesthouse to stop tobacco industries from participating in corporate social re­s­ponsibility activities. 

 

S. Cyril Alexander, state convener of TNPFTC, said it was not just in Tamil Nadu, they were conducting the STOP campaign all over the country.

 

According to the Companies Act, 2013 that is coming into effect from the financial year 2014-15, companies with net worth of Rs 500 crore or a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore are to mandatorily involve in CSR activities.

 

“According to this, even tobacco industries come under the Act. But this Act contradicts the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. COTPA prohibits advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of all tobacco products,” points out Alexander.

 

Anti-tobacco activists said tobacco industries had destroyed many lives and should be restrained from coming into the CSR ambit. 

 

“How can they involve in CSR activities when they have destroyed many lives? It will lead only to the promotion of tobacco products. Instead, they can deposit money with the health department and this can be used for helping those families who have been affected due to tobacco use,” reasons Alexander.

 

He added that tobacco industries are a threat to the lives of over 10 lakh Indians and 50 lakh people all over the world. As part of the campaign, a letter has been sent to Union minister for health Ghu­lam Nabi Azad, minister of corporate affairs Sachin Pilot, among others.

 

“We were told that the health department is communicating with the corporate affairs ministry and we hope that tobacco industries will be restrained from CSR activities,” said the members of TNPFTC.