Drive against smoking at tourist spots

Next time, if you are found puffing on a cigarette at any tourist spot in the city, you may feel the heat. Of late, the police have launched a drive against smoking in public, mainly focusing on places of tourist interest.

In a recent drive at Chamundi Hill, K R Police have booked 197 cases, collecting a fine of Rs 25,500.

Following the inconvenience caused to tourists due to smoking at tourist places like Chamundi Hill, Palace and Zoo, Police Commissioner M A Saleem has ordered the police personnel to take action.

Penalty

Accordingly, in a drive conducted between March 18 and 24, a total of 197 cases have been booked, realising a penalty of Rs 25,500, under the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement  and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA). The drive was conducted near Chamundeshwari Temple, Nandi statue and other places atop the hill.

Smokers-free

According to a source, the jurisdictional K R police have been conducting the drive at Chamundi Hill from January to make the shrine smokers-free. From January till date, a total of 1,100 cases have been booked, realising a penalty of Rs 1.15 lakh.

The fine is imposed in the range of a minimum of Rs 100 to Rs 1,000.

According to the Police Commissioner, the drive will be extended to other tourist spots in the city in the coming days.