CHENNAI: Despite a ban on smoking in public spaces, the Greater Chennai police booked only three cases in 2022 and nine cases between May-December 2021. Is the ban on smoking in public spaces a ‘butt’ of a joke or have we become tolerant of smoking in public?
Cyril Alexander, State Convenor of Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control (TNPFTC), told TNIE, “There are 21 authorised persons who can take action if a person is found smoking in the public or a shop selling tobacco products near a school. But only two among them, the police and health department officials, take any action.”
Right opposite the city police office at Vepery, there is a school and hardly a few metres away there are three roadside tea shops where men can be found smoking throughout the day. Students wait near these shops for their pick-up vehicles and are inhaling second-hand smoke. Why are the police not taking action against public smoking? A city police officer told TNIE, “Smoking in a public place is an offence but it does not come up on our priority list because we have other serious cases to follow up. When an officer is in the middle of an investigation, public smoking does not come into his/her mind.”
He attributes it to a lack of awareness among the public and the shopkeepers. Some shopkeepers do not know that selling tobacco products near schools and colleges is an offence. “Once when I questioned a shopkeeper about selling cigarettes to people who smoke right outside the shop, he told me that only selling gutka products and ganja are banned, not cigarettes. Only if the shopkeepers are made aware of the law, they will help maintain it,” the officer added.
Another police officer said until someone complains about a person smoking in public, no action is taken. A major factor is a lack of adequate manpower, he said. “Since public smoking is so common around the city, some police personnel issue a challan while others let off the person with a warning,” the officer added.
Yet another senior police officer said the current fine amount of Rs 100 for first-time offenders and Rs 200 for repeat offenders is too low to act as a deterrent. Speaking to TNIE, Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, “People can call 104 and complain if they find someone smoking in public places. We will coordinate through the local body. For example, the responsibility of enforcement in Chennai lies with Greater Chennai Corporation. In districts, we will supplement our health inspectors with local bodies.”
When TNIE dialled 104 to complain about public smoking, the person who answered the call said details have been noted down and will be forwarded to the relevant department. Once the complaint has been registered, the complainant will be notified, he said.
Who can take action
Inspectors of Central Excise/Income Tax/Customs/Sales/Tax/Health/Transport and above; Station Master; Asst.Station Master; Station Head/Station in charge; College/School/Headmaster Principal/Teacher and Director Public Health/Director Health Services, among others.