CHENNAI: A recent Express survey shows 40 of 60 schools in Chennai have one or more shops that sell tobacco and nicotine products within 100 metres of the school’s campus. This is against the law. Conducted in 15 major locations in and around Chennai, the survey reveals that not only are school managements ignorant about the law. But every shop owner and passerby see it as any other normal shop on the road side.
Section 6 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 2003 expects respective officials to implement measures to ensure the effective protection of non-smokers from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke and to protect children and youngsters from being addicted to tobacco.
When Express visited shops that exist in close proximity to schools, the owners readily provided cigarettes and other tobacco products without any hesitation. When asked if it’s possible to smoke in front of the school, many replied no one was going to ask questions.
The survey confirms that the high court order to ban smoking in public and not to sell cigarettes to minors is not taken seriously in Chennai. Speaking to some head administrators of the schools it was found that they are not aware of the fact. Many say their voices are of no use as the process has to go through concerned authorities.
Tondiarpet
On the Ennore High Road lies Angel Babyland Matriculation School, in front of which there is a small petty shop which sells cigarette. When the school closes around 3 pm one can see children rushing to the petty shop where elders would be smoking. Right behind the shop, there is a small police booth. Just a few hundred metres away is ECI Matriculation School. When Express visited the adjacent street which runs inside the area, there were many grocery shops selling cigarettes and a few men sitting inside parked auto rickshaws were drinking and smoking when children were going home. A few little kids were sitting in the front seats of the autos while this was happening.
Tambaram
A few yards away from the Tambaram Sub Registrar’s office is Corley Higher Secondary School which is situated near a tea stall. The vendor, who is aware of neither the law nor the seriousness of violating it, says: “Do you think there is going to be a difference if I don’t sell cigarettes? If not here, there are shops near the bus stand where children wait for buses.” Even parents and auto drivers who wait to pick children up from schools never forget to smoke before they go.
Mylapore
On Luz Church Road before the signal is MCTM Chidambaram Chettyar School and adjacent to the school compound is a small shop which is a tea and smoking hub for many sales representatives. Seeing that, you wouldn’t know that smoking in public is a fineable offence.
Aminjikarai
Inside the narrow lanes of Aminjikarai, just a few yards from St Vincent’s Matriculation School, there is a shop which doesn’t look like a restricted smoking zone. Fr Johny, principal of the school, says: “We cannot force shopkeepers to stop selling cigarettes. The best we can do is to create awareness among students. We even conducted a rally on World No Tobacco Day. Concerned authorities issuing a notice not to sell could be of great help.”
Vepery
Close to the Commissioner’s office, opposite Agarwal Vidhyalaya, is a shop that sells cigarettes along with other items. The only justification that any tea vendor puts forward is “people like to smoke when they have tea and that’s the reason we sell cigarettes although we don’t make much of a profit.” Likewise, near Seventh Day Adventist School is a shop that helps people to ease their stress with a smoke.
Thirumangalam
Close to the compound wall of Leo Matriculation School, next to the Aavin booth, is a small shop which sells paan, cigarettes and other tobacco products. A customer felt that it should be like any other shop without any law imposed as it gives revenue to the government, who never took the issue seriously.
Old Washermanpet
On the narrow, highly commercialised Gollavar Agraharam Road, K Arumuga Nadar Girls School has many nearby shops selling cigarettes and people smoking openly. When the school closes there are many young boys on bikes in the street, making comments at the passing girls with cigarettes in their hands. One of them said: “Why does the government allow the sale of cigarettes and then apply restrictions? Either we should be allowed to smoke anywhere or it should be stopped for good.”
Porur
Few metres away from Grace Matriculation School, around the corner of the street, is a small shop which sells cigarettes of which the management is unaware. They promised to file a complaint with the respective official. An ex-pupil of another school in Porur confesses that a small petty shop near his school was his first place to get a cigarette and he secretly smoked with friends five years ago. “I was attracted by the style of elders in the shop and it was one factor that led to me smoking when I was in Class XI,” he said.
Kodambakkam
Near Loyola Matriculation School, MGR Higher Secondary School and Seventh Day Adventist School are shops that readily provide cigarettes even to minors. On condition of anonymity, a teacher of one these schools said: “There are laws and regulations already in existence and it only takes a strict enforcement to protect children who are becoming primary targets.”
Guindy
There are such shops near Mont Fort School and St Helen’s Matriculation School. Raj Kumar, a parent, says: “This has been worrying us for a long time. We fear this might influence our children. We are looking forward to the respective authorities who can solve this.”
Other such locations are Anna Nagar, Alandhur, RA Puram, Molakothalam, Kilpauk and Nungambakkam.
One official said: “Awareness programmes have been conducted this month and the managements have been asked to complain to the nearby police station if they came to know of shops that are selling cigarettes.”