Violators puff away, non-smokers on receiving end
Civic authorities to start fresh drive to implement anti-smoking Act, especially in public places
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-07-11 06:16 GMT
Vijayawada: Civic authorities intend to start a fresh drive to implement the Anti-smoking Act, especially in areas where people congregate in large numbers such as the Pandit Nehru Bus Station, railway station and government offices.
“People smoking in public places and even government offices has become a common sight,” said a city resident. “The ban of smoking in the public places was implemented several times during the past, however, it miserably failed to bring any awareness among the citizens,” said Murthy, a passenger.
Similarly, speaking about the efforts to curb smoking at public places, Road Transport Corporation regional manager P.V. Rama Rao said: “The corporation has conducted several drives on previous occasions to curb smoking in public places, keeping in mind about the public inconvenience and health. The RTC management has also collected fines from the violators, but the enforcement slowly lost its sheen because of several reasons.”
Speaking about such awareness drives, a railway official said, “We carry out enforcement drives to deter people from smoking and not to collect fines.” Meanwhile, when Deccan Chronicle took the issue of people smoking at public places to the corporation, municipal commissioner G. Veerapandian said, “The violators will be punished severely and the corporation is also going to take all measures by initiating the staff from ground level to not to entertain smoking on the premises."
City doctors are also warning against smoking at public as the number of passive smoking cases has increased in the city. Smokers are unknowingly affecting non-smokers by passive smoking. “We are observing many cases with lung infections, who don’t have the habit of smoking. The main reason behind this is passive smoking,” said Dr Madhuri.