HC tells PU board to ensure tobacco ban near schools, colleges

Disposing of a petition by Cancer Patients’ Aid Association, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice A S Bopanna has instructed the director to check for the sale of tobacco and related products within 100 metre radius of the educational institutions. 

Caution

Seeking effective implementation of the Act in accordance with the National Tobacco Control Programme, the petitioners submitted that as per the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) it was mandatory to put up warning signage boards.

According to the COTPA, the vendors are prohited from selling any of these products to minors, the petitioners argued.

According to the petitioners, the institutions did not have any signage boards outside their premises.

The petitioners contended that these institutions also had cigarette and tobacco vendors within 100 yards of their premises selling tobacco products which was prohibited under Section 6 of COTPA.

The Bench had instructed the State to issue letters within one week to aided colleges to implement the order of putting up sign boards or face loss of grants and recognition to the institutions.

The government has also been told to prosecute the private colleges immediately under COTPA.

The Court also directed the State government to complete the entire process and submit an action taken report.