Seven teams of Mohali Health department carried out raids in the district on Tuesday, to check the illicit sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The team, comprising nodal officers, also cracked down on smoking in public places. The teams conducted surprise checks at around 200 shops, kiosks and street vendors selling tobacco products.
“A total of 96 chalans were issued to shopkeepers and street vendors selling tobacco products in violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition) (COTPA) Act, 2003.
A fine worth Rs 32,000 was collected from the violators and fine was also charged from 10 public smokers,” said civil surgeon Dr. Manjit Singh.
Dr. Singh said, in Mohali city, a joint operation by the Health Department and the Legal Metrology department, with the help of the police, was conducted. While in other parts of the district, teams of the Anti-Tobacco cell of the Health Department carried out the inspections.
All the teams simultaneously visited markets of Mohali, Derabassi, Boothgarh, Balongi, Banur, Dhakoli and Lalru to carry out the checking.
He further said that some street vendors were caught selling cigarettes without any pictorial warning on them, whereas, some shopkeepers were selling imported cigarettes in violation of the Act. “During the raids, it was found that many grocery shops were selling tobacco products, which is prohibited under law. As per the law, tobacco products cannot be sold in a grocery shop. Similarly, some shopkeepers and street vendors were selling loose cigarettes. Banned tobacco products were seized by the Legal Metrology department,” Dr. Manjit Singh said.
The shopkeepers were asked to put out advertisements saying that they do no sell tobacco items to those below 18 years of age, as the law prohibits smoking in public places and selling tobacco products to minors.
He said that the raids would continue and strict action would be taken against the violators in the future.