Summary:
Tribune News ServiceLudhiana, July 17As many as 21 challans were issued and a penalty of Rs 1,240 was imposed on people for violating a ban on smoking in public places in the city. According to Section 4 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008, smoking is banned in public places. The objective of the ban is to protect people from Second Hand Smoke (SHS) exposure. The COTPA defines public place as any place to which the public has access and includes auditorium, hospital buildings, railways waiting rooms, amusement centres, restaurants, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries and public conveyances. According to medical experts, tobacco smoking causes a wide-range of diseases and it affects nearly every organ of the body..