Monthly Archives: May 2013
Gutkha Ban Notification – Press News
புகையிலை – புற்றுநோயின் நண்பன் -இன்று உலக புகையிலை எதிர்ப்பு தினம்
வயது, பாலின வித்தியாசமின்றி புகைப்பிடிக்கும் பழக்கம் ஆண்டுதோறும் அதிகரிக்கிறது. பள்ளிப் பருவ மாணவர்களும் இப்பழக்கத்துக்கு அடிமையாவது, அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.
இதனால் எத்தனையோ உயிர் பறி போனாலும், அதில் ஈடுபடுவோரின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரிக்கிறதே தவிர குறைந்தபாடில்லை. இதுபற்றி விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த மே 31ம் தேதி, உலக புகையிலை எதிர்ப்பு தினம் கடைபிடிக்கப்படுகிறது.
“அனைத்து வித புகையிலை விளம்பரங்கள், ஸ்பான்ஷர்ஷிப்பை தடைசெய்தல்’ என்பது இந்தாண்டு இத்தினத்தின் மையக் கருத்து. “புகையிலையால் ஏற்படும் ஆபத்தையும், அவற்றிலிருந்து விடுபடும் வழிகளையும் எடுத்துரைப்பதே’ இத்தினத்தின் நோக்கம். புகையிலையால் கிடைக்கும் வருமானத்தை விட, புகையிலை பாதிப்பால் ஏற்படும் நோய்களை தீர்ப்பதற்கு, ஒவ்வொரு நாட்டின் அரசுக்கும் அதிகம் செலவாகிறது.
எத்தனை நச்சு: மனித உயிர்களுக்கு இறப்பை அளிக்கும் இரண்டாவது முக்கிய காரமாக புகையிலை இருக்கிறது. புகையிலை என்றதும் நினைவிற்கு வருவது “சிகரெட்’. இதில் உள்ள நிக்கோடின் என்ற நச்சுப்பொருள், புகைப்பவர்களை அடிமையாக்குகிறது. ஒரு சிகரெட்டில் 4 ஆயிரம் வேதிப்பொருட்கள் கலந்துள்ளன. இவற்றில் 43, புற்றுநோய் ஏற்படுத்தக் கூடியவை.
அருகில் இருப்பவரையும் உலகளவில் 6 விநாடிக்கு ஒருவரும்; ஆண்டுக்கு 60 லட்சம் பேரும், புகையிலை மற்றும் சிகரெட்டால் இறக்கின்றனர்.
2030க்குள் இது ஒரு கோடியாக அதிகரிக்கும் என கணிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் 70 சதவீதம் பேர், வளரும் நாடுகளில் உள்ளனர். சிகரெட் பிடிப்பவர்களால், அருகில் இருப்பவர்களும் பாதிக்கப்படுகின்றனர். ஆண்டுதோறும் 6 லட்சம் பேர் இப்படி பாதிக்கப்படுகின்றனர் என உலக சுகாதார நிறுவன ஆய்வில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
“நோ’ சொல்லுங்கள்: நன்மை அதிகம்புகை பழக்கத்துக்கு அடிமையாகி, உயிரை விடுவதை விட, புகையிலை பழக்கத்தை விடுவதே சிறந்தது.
* படிப்படியாக நிறுத்தாமல் ஒரேயடியாக நிறுத்துவதே சிறந்தது. இதனால் எந்த பக்க விளைவும் ஏற்படாது. புகைக்காமல் இருந்தால் ரத்த அழுத்தம், இருதயத்துடிப்பு, ரத்தத்தில் உள்ள ஆக்சிஜன் அளவு சீரடையும்.
* புகை பிடிக்காமல் ஒருநாள் இருந்தால், ரத்தத்தில் கலந்திருக்கும் கார்பன் மோனாக்சைடு வெளியேற்றப்படுகிறது. நுரையீரல் சுத்தமாகிறது. இரண்டு நாட்கள் இருந்தால், உடலில் சேர்ந்துவிட்ட நிக்கோடின் அகற்றப்படும். சுவைக்கும் திறனும், நுகரும் திறனும் அதிகரிக்கும். மூன்று நாட்களுக்கு பிறகு, சுவாசிப்பது எளிதாகிறது. 2 முதல் 21 வாரங்களுக்குள் ரத்த ஓட்டம் சீரடைகிறது. 3 முதல் 9 மாதங்களுக்குள் இருமல், தும்மல் போன்ற குறைபாடுகள் குறைகிறது. நுரையீரலில் செயல்பாடு 5 முதல் 10 சதவீதம் அதிகரிக்கிறது.
* 4 ஆண்டுகளுக்குப் பிறகு, மாரடைப்பு ஏற்படும் வாய்ப்பு பாதியாக குறைகிறது. 10 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு பிறகு நுரையீரல் புற்று நோய் வரும் வாய்ப்பு பாதியாக குறைகிறது. புகைபிடிக்கும் பழக்கத்தை விட்ட முதல் வாரம் சிரமமாக இருக்கும். எனினும், இதனால் கிடைக்கும் பலன், வாழ்நாள் முழுவதும் நீடிக்கும்.
இதைவிட புகையிலை பழக்கத்தை கைவிட வேறு காரணங்கள் வேண்டுமா.
ISI STANDARDS FOR FOOD ITEMS
Move to ban gutka will hit areca growers: Kateel
Udupi, May 31, 2013
Nalin Kumar Kateel, Dakshina Kannada MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, said on Thursday that the State government’s sudden decision to ban gutka will spell doom for a large number of arecanut growers.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Mr. Kateel said thousands of farmers in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikmagalur, and Shimoga grew arecanut. The government’s decision would affect the livelihood of these arecanut growers.
Instead of banning Gutka, the State government should have taken other measures such as removal of addictive substances which went in the manufacturing of gutka. Even if the government decided to remove arecanut products from gutka, it should have come up with some alternative scheme to help arecanut growers.
“We are not against the ban on gutka, but the government should come up with an alternative programme to help arecanut growers”, he said.
Though many states banned gutka, the former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had not banned Gutka as it would affect a large number of farmers. Instead, he provided support price for arecanut, he said.
Mr. Kateel said the government’s reported move to bring the Sri Krishna Math/Temple under the Muzrai Department too was not well thought of. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had not been able to explain the reason for this reported move.
The State government’s other move to reverse the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2012 passed by the previous BJP government, and restore the previous Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, too was a wrong move. “Both these moves were against the sentiments of the majority community”, Mr. Kateel said.
Kota Srinivas Poojary and Monappa Bhandary, MLCs, were present.
- ‘The government should have come up with an alternative scheme to help arecanut growers’
- Government’s move to reverse the cow slaughter bill was a wrong move, says Kateel
Health department cracks down on pan masala, gutka
TIRUCHI, May 31, 2013
Week-long enforcement drive to conclude on June 4
The public health department in Tiruchi district has intensified its anti-tobacco drive in the run up to World No Tobacco Day.
As part of a special enforcement drive, district health officials have cracked the whip by penalising public smoking, sale of cigarettes near educational institutions, and sale of smokeless tobacco such as pan masala and gutka .
The week-long special enforcement drive that started on May 28 will conclude on June 4. Such drives are being conducted every month, said a health officer.
Persons who violate the ban on public smoking will be penalised with a fine of Rs. 100, said a release issued by K.C. Cheran, deputy director, public health.
If sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of schools or colleges is discovered, products will be seized or a fine of Rs.200 will be imposed; second-time offenders face imprisonment, as specified by COPTA – Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act.
The drive will crack down on manufacture or sale of gutka, pan masala or any other form of chewable tobacco, in the wake of the State imposing a ban on these products earlier this month. Any advertisement of tobacco products in the form of display boards or wall posters would be pulled down.
Fine collected
Block-level tobacco control enforcement committees comprising representatives from various departments, including police, education, revenue and health are involved in the crackdown on tobacco products.
A fine of over Rs. 5,000 has been collected since the drive commenced two days ago, according to health department sources.
Information on quantity of seized products is yet to be provided.
‘Ban tobacco marketing’
COIMBATORE, May 31, 2013
Advertisements promoting tobacco products certainly have an influence on youngsters, drawing them into smoking. Such advertisements must be banned as one among the many measures to release people from the clutches to tobacco, president of Association of Physicians of India A. Muruganathan has said.
In an e-mailed statement to mark the World No-Tobacco Day, he said on Thursday that evidence in various parts of the world had shown that comprehensive ban on advertising had led to a decline in the number of persons taking to smoking, he said, pointing out that the theme of this year’s observance was “Ban Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship”.
Quoting from various studies, Dr. Muruganathan said tobacco killed eight lakh people a year in India and that every year 55,000 take to tobacco habits and only two per cent of adults quit the habit, but only after falling ill.
“The ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has also said that out of 100 young smokers today, nearly half of them will die of tobacco-related diseases,” he said, calling for concerted efforts to draw people away from tobacco in all forms.
Karnataka bans gutka, shuts video parlours
Bengaluru:
The state government has decided to give life to a five-year-old proposal to ban gutka in the interest of people’s health despite protests by arecanut growers.
The proposal by the Health and Family Welfare Department, which was in cold storage for a long time, has now been okayed by minister U.T. Khader and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the official order banning gutka is expected to come out in a day or two.
Though senior health department officials were tightlipped about the move, sources said the government was not hurting the arecanut growers as it was only banning the sale of gutka and not supari (arecanut powder).
“Banning of gutka will not have any repercussions on the local arecanut market, as it does not contain much arecanut. The manufacturers use more of chemicals, which are harmful,” they said.
When it was discussed after the Council of Ministers meeting held to endorse Governor’s address to the joint session of the legislature, ministers were reportedly divided as the ban could impact arecanut growers. But Mr Siddaramaiah referred to a Supreme Court order and said the government had no choice but to ban gutka.
For one last puff
By Express Features – HYDERABAD
31st May 2013 08:47 AM
For smokers all across the world, today’s a day that will either nag at their guilty conscious for not sticking to their resolve to quit smoking, or will just be a regular day at the chai bandi or with college folks, puffing away like a chimney. As one more year marks the World No Tobacco Day, we are yet again reminded of that venomous smoke agent, and other equally seductive tobacco products that have been silently, and sometimes in the form of a wracking cough, courted a sad death.
But if you are among those few who do have the resolve and are planning to kick the butt for good, you know you need some help.
Those looking to let go of the addiction usually revert citing severe withdrawal symptoms including headaches, cramps and restlessness as they miss their daily dose of smokes. Help is usually available over the counter in the form of nicotine gums, nasal sprays and skin-patches which make up the Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). NRT are medically approved devices for providing substituting the nicotine from a cigarette through direct means, cutting out the harm caused by smoking a cigarette.
However, the substitutes do not come without their own set of side-effects which include headaches, dizziness, skin irritation from the nicotine patches, stomach upsets and a general queasiness. But if you are intent on giving the puff a miss, some of the products available under NRT are here to help.
m Nicotine skin patches : These skin patches ensure a steady supply of nicotine through the skin and the adhesive patch can be worn on any part of the body and usually lasts between 16 to 24 hours. The patches come in different strengths depending on your frequency of smoking. Do remember to check for allergies from the adhesive and other drugs and consult your general practitioner.
Novartis manufactures Nicotinell Tts, Transdermal patches at the cost of Rs 2895 for 17.5 mg (30 patches)
m Nicotine gums and lozenges: The lozenges and gums are available in two strengths of 2 milligrams and 4 milligrams strength and a choice of flavours. If you are a chain smoker, you probably need the one with a higher nicotine content. It works well for those who rely on the hit provided by the cigarette as lozenges and gums work to provide an instant dose. Make sure you do not over-do the therapy by consuming more than 15 lozenges or gums a day.
Johnson and Johnson manufactures Nicorette which is available in a pack of 40 gums of 2 mg strength at Rs 190. It is also available as a lozenge.
mNicotine nasal spray: For the quick rush of nicotine, one can look at substituting the smokes with a nicotine nasal or mouth spray. Though it does give a hit, possible side-effects include nasal irritation.
Marketed under various brand names including Nicotrol nasal spray 10 mg in the US. Not available in India.
mElectronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes), not exactly NRT: The electronic cigarettes which dispense nicotine steam through liquid filters usually satisfy the urge to hold a cigarette among those looking to quit. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not consider it a legitimate NRT for those looking to quit smoking. E-cigarettes are priced between Rs 500 and Rs 600 for a cigarette which can be charged through a USB port and a combo of 10 filters.
Gazette notification declares gutkha sale illegal for a year
By Express News Service – CHENNAI
31st May 2013 08:12 AM
The Health and Food Welfare Department’s order prohibiting the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of gutkha and pan masala for one year has been notified in the gazette.
According to the May 23 notification, manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients, by whatsoever name it is available in the market, has also been prohibited.
The ban is in conformity with the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. As per the regulation, tobacco and nicotine shall not be used as ingredients in any food product. The notification said gutkha and pan masala are food products in which tobacco and nicotine are widely used as ingredients and it is expedient to prohibit these in Tamil Nadu.
Announcing the decision to ban gutkha and pan masala in the Assembly on May 8, the Chief Minister said that it was being done to prevent cancer caused by the consumption of these items. She also recalled that the previous AIADMK government headed by her had banned the sale of gutkha and pan masala on November 19, 2001 for five years under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. However, the Supreme Court, while hearing the case relating to this ban on August 2, 2004, had cancelled the notification issued by the Tamil Nadu government and some other States. The SC had said the powers to ban such goods lie with the Central.
Later, the Central government enacted the Food Safety and Standards Act in 2006 and the legislation came into force from August 5, 2011 across the country.
Tiruchirappalli to train community groups on food safety and hygiene
The Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation will start training members of the Tamil Nadu city’s community groups on food safety and hygiene. V P Thandapani, Commissioner, Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation, said at a recent valediction of the state-level training programme on detection of food adulteration, co-organised by the Concert Trust, a voluntary organisation, and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
“It is essential that people are sensitised on the need to prevent adulteration in food products and ensure hygiene. Training on food safety will be imparted to the members of community groups in association with the Concert Trust,” Thandapani added.
Food Poisoning on a Global Scale
Food is supposed to provide us nourishment and health but because of the toxins it contains, what we consume has become a major threat to our health. Some toxic substances are added to our food physically, through adulteration, while some enter our food system chemically, through pesticide residues. And some toxins enter the food chain genetically, through genetic engineering of seeds and crops. Even food packaging can be a source of toxins in food.
While physical adulteration, like stones in pulses, can be removed, the chemicals can’t be. The pollutants will stop entering our food system only when poisonous chemicals are banned. Genetic pollution and contamination of food is the new, big threat to food safety and it cannot be undone. Once toxic genes are put into a plant, they are in the genetic code. There is no rollback. Which is why the debate on biosafety of GMOs is so intense.
With growing consumerism and greed, food safety is being bypassed. The distance between growers and eaters is getting larger and being ignorant about what comprises our food is getting deeper. Traders adulterate food to make more money, and consumers, manipulated to focus on the cosmetic appearance, buy adulterated food not knowing what they are eating. Government agencies, which are supposed to inspect and stop adulteration, fail because of corruption and inadequate support.
We are eating hazardous substances every day. Copper salts are used to colour pickles and canned vegetables green. The craze for the cosmetic appearance of food has created a market for dyes injected in watermelon, peas, capsicum and brinjal. Brick dust in chilli powder, coloured chalk powder in turmeric, and papaya seeds in black pepper are old tricks.
With new chemicals available in the market, adulteration has reached new levels. Apples are sprayed with lead arsenate; turmeric and mixed spices are adulterated with lead chromate. These substances can cause anaemia, abortion and paralysis.
One of the worst tragedies of food adulteration was the 2008 Chinese milk scandal, which was a food safety issue involving milk and infant formula adulterated with melamine. Melamine is an industrial chemical used to manufacture melamine-formaldehyde resin, a type of plastic known for its flame retardant properties. When added to milk, it caused it to appear to have higher protein content. But melamine causes renal and urinary problems and its use in food production is universally banned. The milk scandal broke in July 2008. By November there were 300,000 victims, with six infants dying from kidney stones and other kidney complications.
If the Chinese were using melamine in milk, the Indians are using urea to make synthetic milk. Synthetic milk is produced by mixing urea, caustic soda, cheap cooking oil, detergents, water and a tiny bit of natural milk. It has the colour, the structure and even the fat levels of natural milk and thus clears the basic tests. Synthetic milk can cause loss of sight and hearing and is even said to cause cancer.
Oxytocin is a hormone secreted and stored by the posterior pituitary gland that contributes to the second stage of labour. It has uterine-contracting and milk-ejecting actions. Oxytocin is now available as an artificial drug for use in emergencies. The drug can lead to the rupture of the uterus and, in rare cases, rupture of the womb. While the oxytocin for humans is priced at `15 per ampule, veterinary oxytocin is priced at 50 paise per ampule.
The dairy industry uses it on animals in the mistaken belief that it increases milk production when all it does is make the milk come faster, while destroying the cow’s reproductive system. The cow goes dry in three years and is abandoned.
Not only is the cow harmed, but those who drink milk from oxytocin-injected cows are also at risk, especially children. Oxytocin causes imbalanced hearing and weak eyesight. For expecting mothers, oxytocin increases the risk of post-partum haemorrhage and can inhibit breastfeeding. Because of hormones in food, minor girls are attaining early puberty. Oxytocin is also used for growing vegetables. Injected into a pumpkin or squash, it doubles the size overnight.
Pesticides are becoming a major threat to our health. India has gone through three major tragedies — the Bhopal gas tragedy, the endosulfan tragedy in Kerala and the tragedy of Punjab’s cancer train — related to pesticides that should have woken us to the fact that pesticides kill and cripple.
We are using 750 times more pesticides than Europe, foolishly equating poisons with progress. A study carried out by the All-India Coordinated Research Project on pesticide residues in food under the India Council of Agricultural Research concluded that 51 per cent of all food items have pesticide residues, and 20 per cent had pesticide residues above permissible levels. Globally the figures are 21 per cent and two per cent respectively. Indians are being poisoned at much higher levels than the rest of the world. And these poisons have consequences for our health.
Dr Rashmi Sanghi, a research scientist at the LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur, found organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in human breast milk. When other researchers analysed the blood samples of women with breast cancer in Jaipur and compared it to blood samples of women without breast cancer, they found significantly higher levels of pesticide residues in the samples from women suffering from cancer
Even as we have an increasing disease burden due to chemicals and pollutants, there is an attempt to push GMOs despite the serious health risks they pose. We need to assess these risks on the basis of the Precautionary Principle. The principle implies that there is a social responsibility to protect the public from exposure to harm when scientific investigation has thrown data and evidence of health risks. Suppressing research on risk assessment of GMOs does not make the risks go away. A “don’t look, don’t see” policy does not make for safety.
The last Indian deserves healthy, nutritious and safe food. That is why we at Navdanya have started the campaign “Know your food, Know your farmer”. Join us, for the sake of earth and for the sake of your health.
Dr. Vandana Shiva is a philosopher, environmental activist and eco feminist. She is the founder/director of Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Ecology. She is author of numerous books including, Soil Not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis;Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply; Earth Democracy: Justice, Sustainability, and Peace; and Staying Alive: Women, Ecology, and Development. Shiva has also served as an adviser to governments in India and abroad as well as NGOs, including the International Forum on Globalization, the Women’s Environment and Development Organization and the Third World Network. She has received numerous awards, including 1993 Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize) and the 2010 Sydney Peace Prize.
“புகையிலை உபயோகத்தால் புற்றுநோய் பாதிப்பு அதிகரிப்பு’
By dn, பெங்களூர்
First Published : 30 May 2013 09:56 AM IST
புகையிலை உபயோகத்தால் புற்றுநோய் பாதிப்பு அதிகரித்துள்ளது என்று, புற்றுநோய் சிறப்பு மருத்துவர் முரளிசுப்ரமணியம் தெரிவித்தார்.
பெங்களூரில் புதன்கிழமை நடைபெற்ற புகையிலை ஒழிப்பு தினத்தையொட்டி, அவர் செய்தியாளர்களிடம் பேசியது:
தேசிய அளவில் புகையிலை உபயோகிப்பதால் புற்றுநோயால் பாதிக்கப்படுபவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. இதனால் 2020-ஆம் ஆண்டிற்குள் புற்றுநோயால் பாதிக்கப்படுபவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 15 லட்சத்தை எட்டும் என புள்ளிவிவரம் தெரிவிக்கிறது. புற்றுநோயைத் தடுக்க வேண்டும் என்றால், அதற்கு மூலகாரணமாகத் திகழ்கின்ற புகையிலை உபயோகத்தைத் தடுக்க அரசு முன் வரவேண்டும். இதுகுறித்து மக்களுக்கு விழிப்புணர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்துவதோடு, புகையிலை தொடர்பான விளம்பரங்களை முற்றிலுமாகத் தடுக்க வேண்டும். இதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளை அரசு மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.
புகையிலையைப் புகைக்கும் பழக்கம் உள்ளவர்கள் ஆண்டுக்கு ஒருமுறை தங்களை பரிசோதனைக்கு உள்ளாக்கிக் கொண்டு புற்றுநோய் பாதிப்பிற்கு ஆளாகியுள்ளனரா என்று தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்றார் அவர்.
பான்பராக் ., குட்கா-பறிமுதல்
y ஆரணி,
First Published : 31 May 2013 02:46 AM IST
ஆரணி நகரில் கடைகளில் விற்பனைக்கு வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த ரூ.10 ஆயிரம் மதிப்பிலான பான்பராக், குட்கா ஆகியன பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன.
நகராட்சி சுகாதார அலுவலர் லட்சுமணன், உதவி ஆய்வாளர் ராமலிங்கம் உள்ளிட்டோர் நகரில் உள்ள பல கடைகளில் வியாழக்கிழமை சோதனையில் ஈடுபட்டனர்.
அப்போது பழைய பஸ் நிலையம், புதிய மசூதி தெரு, மார்க்கெட் ரோடு உள்ளிட்ட இடங்களில் உள்ள கடைகளில் விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த குட்கா, புகையிலை போன்றவை பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன. மேலும், பல கடைகளில் விற்பனைக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த தடை செய்யப்பட்ட பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களும் பறிமுதல் செய்யப்பட்டன.
State Govt to tighten noose on public smokers
On an average, Just about two smokers are challaned a day in all over Punjab. Official statistics reveal that in month on January, only 1408 challans were issued to smokers in 20 districts of Punjab under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
Among the highest violators of the COPTA Act, applicable to all products containing tobacco in any form, are the districts of Hoshiarpur, followed by Sangrur and Amritsar.
The situation emerged to be unfit as compared to the previous as a total of 13,090 violators were challaned in 2012. And with already 1,408 challans in a month, the total figure seemed to be much higher.
“This is because we have set up task forces in districts, and also state and district level monitoring committees to take stock of the situation, and keep the tobacco use under control,” a senior official of the state health department told The Pioneer, requesting anonymity.
Citing “easily availability” of gutka or pan masala and other chewable tobacco products in the market in small pouches of Rs one each, official maintained that there’s lot to be done to make Punjab a tobacco-free State.
Despite imposing ban on the sale of tobacco products or any other food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients across the State, the State Government is clambering to make the entire State “tobacco free” — as decided
in 2012. Blame it on the “loopholes” in the Tobacco Control Act, or failure of the State Government, the State Government’s efforts to check the use of tobacco has been tuned out.
In the districts, where sale and consumption of gutkha and pan masala were banned since long — Ropar, Amritsar, Mohali, and Mansa — as many as 91, 222, 91, and 25 violators were challaned.
A Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) revealed that Punjab has 12 per cent tobacco use, with 6.5 percent adults and less than one per cent of women chewing tobacco products. The survey also revealed that in Punjab, 7.7 cigarettes were smoked daily, which is quite less.
“Centre is helping us in our tobacco control programme, and we are declaring several districts as tobacco free with Centre’s help. Already, Ropar, Mohali, Amritsar, and Mansa have been declared tobacco free. On State-level function at Nawanshahr on the World Tobacco Day, we are going to declare Gurdaspur, Nawanshahr, and Sangrur as tobacco free districts,” Punjab Health Director Dr Ashok Nayyar told The Pioneer.
He maintained that District Task Forces and district monitoring committees are working well in some districts, including Amritsar, Mohali, Nawanshahr; while some need little improvement.
District Task Forces have been set up by the authorities to act against any person who commits any offence under Tobacco Control Act and its provisions at any public place. It comprise Deputy Commissioner or his
representative, the SSP or his representative not below the rank of DSP, Civil Surgeon or District level Nodal Officer of the Tobacco Control Program, Drug Inspectors, Food Inspectors, District Attorney, along with one local NGO or social activist or the religious leader.
Besides, the State and district level monitoring committees, to evaluate the anti tobacco laws, and activities regarding educating the people about ill effects of tobacco use, have also been set up.
The State monitoring committee is headed by Health Secretary as chairman, with Director Health and Family Welfare as its secretary. The representative of DGP, Food safety commissioner, and State drug controller are its members.
At district level, concerned DC is the chairman, with SSP, district public relation officer, drug inspector, and food inspector as its members.
“We are facing many challenges, but have improved upon at many aspects. We hope that our aim to declare the State tobacco free, in a real sense, be fulfilled soon.
“There is a dire need to strict implement Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, by the District Food Safety Officers. We are also making the people aware, sensitising them through multimedia,” a official of the health department said.
FOOD SAFETY UPDATE 