PTI
Chandigarh, Jul 22: Chandigarh has taken a lead over other cities in becoming the country's first smoke-free city as provisions of the Central Tobacco Control Act were implemented in all parts of the Union Territory from July 15.
The Chandigarh Administration has said that smoking cigarette or bidi or any form of tobacco at any public place is an offence.
Not just smoking, but throwing cigarette butts in open would be considered a violation and anyone doing so is liable to be fined.
Officials notified by the administration including police officers, food and drug inspectors have been empowered to book on the spot any person found smoking at a public place.
On the first day of implementing the Act, the Administration carried out a special challan drive and within the first five days itself, 741 people had been fined for smoking in public places.
However, even now most hotels and restaurants in the city are still to come up with the mandatory signboards for spreading awareness.
The Administration officials say that restaurants, hotels, colleges, schools, government offices and markets are some of the places where smoking is not permitted.
Smoking is permitted in certain areas near road berms etc but the cigarette butts etc have to be done properly.
Any non-smoker aggrieved by unwilling exposure to tobacco smoke can make a complaint to the Chandigarh Police, Department of Health or Chandigarh Tobacco Control Cell in writing at any of the E-Jan Sampark centres.
The Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) has displayed awareness boards in all its hotels and tourist places like Sukhna Lake and it has been mandatory to specifically demarcate smoking and non-smoking rooms in hotels and prominently display boards reading "smoking area" and "non smoking area".
The administration has also constituted a special cell which would coordinate, superintend and direct all tobacco control related activities in the Union Territory on day-to-day basis.
It would also monitor and ascertain that the guidelines mandated for Chandigarh as 'Tobacco Free City' are observed and would take corrective action as and when required .
Meanwhile, among those hit hardest by the ban include hundreds of unauthorised cigarette/tobacco vendors who would now be booked by the Municipal Corporation if found selling tobacco-based items on the roadside.
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