BENGALURU: From April 1 2025, till March 31 this year, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has collected over Rs 15 lakh in the form of fines for violations under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) like smoking in public places and the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of school premises.
While GBA pats itself on the back with the enforcement drives and claims that the fines collected have been increasing, citizens lament that the COTPA violations, especially smoking in public places continue.
The District Tobacco Control Cell at GBA has carried out 1,344 enforcement drives and found 3,546 violations. Topping the list is the Section 4 violation, which prohibits smoking in public places, with 3,402 violations and a fine of Rs 14,13,530.
The Cell collected Rs 67,400 for selling tobacco products, including cigarettes, bidis, gutka and chewing tobacco within 100 yards of educational institutions. Also, Rs 24,700 was collected for the violation of Section 6 A which prohibits the sale of tobacco products to those below 21 years of age.
“We hardly see any COTPA enforcement in our area. People smoke cigarettes and bidis like there is no tomorrow and we have to bear with it. Smokers who are not bothered about their health are ruining the health of others through second-hand smoking”, said Venkatesh M, a resident of Okalipuram.
Citizens across the city complained that they have attempted multiple times to stop the smokers from smoking near their homes, offices and public places but majority had bad experience. They said that they were abused, got caught in verbal duel and quarrels and they do not wish to confront them. The citizens urged that the government, especially the GBA’s tobacco cell and the police department deal with public smoking with an iron fist and double up fines on repeat offenders.
Chief Health Officer of GBA, Dr Sirajuddin Madani told TNIE that they are have enforcement drives regularly with special focus on catching people who smoke in public places and those selling tobacco products within 100 yards of school premises.
When questioned about the fact that despite the drives, public smoking continues, Dr Madani said that they would be intensifying the drives.
Fines collected by GBA for COTPA violations 2025-2026
