The police department in the state has collected Rs 4,67,650 in the form of fine from people booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, in the month of March. Interestingly about 50 percentage of the total fine collected came from Ernakulam and Kannur districts.
According to police officials, 3,764 people were booked under COTPA in the month of March this year. Highest number were booked for smoking in public places. As many as 3,665 were booked for smoking in public places and police collected Rs 4,20,950 from the offenders. Eight people were booked for violating the prohibition imposed on all forms of direct/indirect advertisements and promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products. As many as 15 persons were booked for selling tobacco products to minors and 105 people for selling tobacco products within hundred yards of educational institutions. Only one person was fined for violating mandatory depiction of specified health warnings on tobacco products.
Highest number of COTPA cases were registered in Ernakulam district with 1311 persons booked. As many as 1,77,800 were received as fine from these people. Kannur came second with 816 persons booked under COPTA. As many Rs 1,63,200 from these people. In Palakkad 758 cases were registered and in Kozhikode 595 cases.However one person in Thiruvanathpuram district, none in Kollam, Trissur and Kasargod were registered.