Chandigarh:

Sh.Madan Mohan Mittal, Health and Family Welfare Minister,Punjab today formally declared  Hoshiarpur  &  Kapurthala  districts as 'Tobacco Smoke Free'.  A decision to this effect was taken on the  occasion  of  Prakash  Utsav  of  Sri  Guru  Granth  Sahib Ji. Health Minister told that school of Public Health PGIMER, Chandigarh was entrusted the task of conducting a ‘compliance survey and opinion poll’ to verify the compliance of COTPAAct, 2003 (Cigarettes & Other Tobacco Products Act).

Dr. Sonu Goel, Assistant Professor, SPH, PGIMER, Chandigarh has in his report concluded that absence of active smoking and presence of  signage’s was observed in more than 96.4% of public places in district Kapurthala and 91.3% in district Hoshiarpur. Sh Mittalsaid that this study paved the way for officially declaring  Hoshiarpur &  Kapurthala districts 'Smoke Free' districts ofPunjab.

Smt.Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare,Punjabcongratulated State Tobacco Control Cell Punjab and District Administration of these districts who made consistent efforts in this regard. She said that district Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Tarn-Taran & Jalandhar will be declared Tobacco Smoke Free in the next phase of makingPunjaba Tobacco Smoke Free State.