BENGALURU: At least 1.82 lakh people have been fined for smoking in public places between April and September, said V. S. Ugrappa, Chairperson of the Legislature Committee on Crimes Against Women and Children.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, the former Congress MLC said, “Action has been taken against 1,82,000 people for smoking in public places, violating the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Control Act, 2003.” He added that over Rs 45 lakh is collected every year from such violators.
Ugrappa said that 2,470 people were fined for smoking within 100 metres of schools and colleges. Between April and September, over one lakh youths below 21 years of age have been counselled through addiction-free centres he added.
He said the Department of Health and Family Welfare, in association with NIMHANS, is providing counselling through the Telemanas helpline (14416) and urged people struggling with addiction to make use of it. He also called upon the visual media to follow Press Council of India guidelines and refrain from glorifying incidents of rape, violence against women, suicide, and other such cases.