With schools in the district all set to reopen, the police plans to relaunch the drive against illegal sale of narcotics products in school premises and to minor children. As per the data of the police, the highest number of people booked for selling tobacco products to minors was from Ernakulam district during October 2012 to March 2013.
The police will hold a meeting with student police cadets (SPCs), District Education Officer and school authorities on Wednesday to prepare an action plan, including initiatives to curb the use of mobile phones in schools and identification of students who use vehicles without a driving licence.
According to the police, 1,235 people were booked in Kochi City and Ernakulam Rural Police limits under Section 6(a) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 which prohibits sale of tobacco products to minors (any person aged under 18) during October 2012 and March 2019. But only 13 cases were booked in other districts during the said period. The police in Ernakulam have collected a fine of Rs 2,58,000 for selling tobacco products to the minor children.
Under Section 6(b) of COTPA which prohibits sale of tobacco products within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution, 12 cases were registered from October 2012 to March 2013 in the district. In other parts of the state 223 people were booked under the Act.
“Directives to take immediate action against people selling tobacco products to students in the school premises have been given. Enforcement activities were a success last year but when the schools closed for summer, the shops started to sell tobacco products again. A drive will be launched after the schools reopen,” said an official.
The SPC has played a crucial role in controlling the sale of tobacco products in schools and bringing COTPA into effect. “The SPCs informed us about such illegal activities. We take them along during the raids”.
“There has been a considerable cut in the sale of tobacco products near schools during the last year,” says Muhammad Rafique, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi.