By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP) has decided to go stronger on enforcement of anti-smoking laws. BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar announced that the city will see stronger enforcement of tobbaco-control norms in the coming months as part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities. Kumar pointed out that the ongoing drive to ensure public places are compiled with tobacco-control norms will be strengthened and the BBMP and stake-holders concerned will spread messages to more radio stations, autorickshaws and public areas. “The enforcement drive to ensure Bengaluru becomes a smoke free city, will be intensified to achieve more results under the ongoing second phase of the initiative. The city has also recently received best performing city award at 2019 Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Tobacco Control and NCD’s Prevention held at Indonesia,” said Kumar. However, 70.5 per cent of public place smoking ban violations are found to be around the points of sale, which calls for a sustained enforcement and awareness drives. “Improving public health requires bold actions and we are taking this bold step. Through the partnership for healthy cities our efforts in the area have made a great impact so far, we are implementing a global blueprint for an effective urban health,” he said. The partnership for healthy cities is a global network of 70 cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases. “The road to a healthier world runs through cities and most of it live in the urban areas. With the expansion of the partnership to 70 cities, we are preventing millions of needless deaths.” said Dr Kelly Henning, who leads the Public Health programme at Bloombern Philanthropies. Dr Naoko Yamamoto, Assistant Director General of Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations at WHO said: “The partnership for healthy cities is showing how cities can play a key role in championing ways to tackle NCDs and injuries. Globally, the cities are growing rapidly and this presents significant new opportunities for action.”

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