• Staff shortage hits tobacco control program
• 3k schools in valley have become ToFEI compliant: Officials
Srinagar, May 30: At a time when Jammu and Kashmir is high on nicotine, the zero tolerance towards tobacco within 100 metres of schools is still not enforced as the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003 lacks implementation.
Until the recent past, almost all the educational institutions in the valley had hardly taken any step to declare within 100 metres of schools as non-smoking zones.
The compliance of the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is poor on the ground.
Sajad Ahmad, a resident of Baramulla said outside the majority of schools and higher secondary institutes, there are shopkeepers who besides selling other products, also sell loose cigarettes to minors which is a blatant violation of the norms calling is a serious issue.
“When there are guidelines issued from time to time, these should be enforced and all concerned departments and stakeholders should be taken to task,” he said.
People also question that when there are clear cut guidelines for schools then why even the signages have not been displayed at the schools.
“When the SSA scheme was started in J&K, the government constructed several buildings for primary and middle schools. Many of these buildings are without fencing and people go there in the evening for smoking,” alleged a resident of Tangmarg.
On the other hand, officials said there is shortage of human resources at both the divisional and district levels saying most districts in Kashmir are unable to implement COTPA.
“Amid a dedicated tobacco control cell operating under the National Tobacco Control Program, many activities in districts are not conducted due to staff shortage,” said an official.
State Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division), National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), Dr Mir Mushtaq said enforcement squads have been constituted in all districts and regular enforcement drives are conducted.
Mir said they have been working on implementation of ToFEI guidelines in government schools in collaboration with the School Education Department. He said some 3,000 schools out of some 14,000 schools in the valley have become ToFEI compliant till 30 May this year.
“The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2024 is “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference”. We have been working on the enforcement part. This year we are more focussed on school children,” he said.
As per the official figures of DHSK, during 2023-24, a total of 3,500 people were challaned in the valley during which an amount of Rs 300,000 was collected from offenders.
There is also absence of tobacco vendor licensing in the valley owing to the manpower shortage. Notably, in 2021, the Union Health Ministry has sent a letter to all State governments recommending the licensing of tobacco vendors.
Officials also flagged the lack of coordination between various departments in poor COPTA implementation. Due to the busy schedule of Deputy Commissioners, quarterly meetings of DLCCs are not being conducted on a timely basis.
The Union Health Ministry launched the National Tobacco Control Program in J&K in Dec 2016 and since then the NTCP has been expanded in all districts. In the same year, sale of loose cigarettes, loose beedi and loose tobacco was banned in J&K under Section 7 of COTPA.
