Smokers Beware...! Dont lose your money

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Smokers beware! The
government is empowering school principals, postmen, railway
stationmasters, even your boss to book you if you're caught smoking in
a public place after Oct 2 - the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The health ministry has already sent the rule for gazette notification and will make it public in the second week of September.

'The
government is yet to approve a fine of Rs.2,000 for those caught
smoking in public,' said a senior health ministry official. 'So we are
implementing the new Smoking in Public Places Rules 2008 with the old
fine amount - up to Rs.200.'

The new rule will also expand the
definition of public places from government buildings to include all
office buildings, hospitals, schools, colleges, railway stations,
airports, bus stands, hotels and restaurants.

'With the public
notification, we will empower principals of schools, colleges, station
masters, postman, airport authorities to challan (book) those smoking
in public places. Once caught, the smoker will have to pay Rs.200 or
whatever he has if he is carrying less than that amount,' the official
told IANS.

'These people have better access to public places and
their involvement will work as community participation to reduce
smoking in the country.

'The public notification will empower top
officials in private firms to challan their employees. The challan
money will go to the revenue department of the state government
concerned,' the official added.

The modalities will be finalised before the public notification.

To
start the process, the official said, in the last one week they fined
eight employees of the Nirman Bhawan, the building that houses the
health ministry, urban development ministry, and some other government
offices.

Hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives due to
smoking related diseases in India every year. They are at risk from all
cardio-vascular diseases like heart attack and stroke and cancer.

Government
estimates say that though the tobacco industry brings revenue of Rs.270
billion to the country every year, the treatment cost of the disease
burden is at least Rs.300 billion.

The health ministry official
said the public prohibition would come into force from Oct 2, the birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has
been campaigning for years to stop smoking in public places and making
India a smoke free country.

The ministry said that with the new
rules coming into force, all hotels with at least 30 rooms and
restaurants with a sitting capacity of 30 will be barred from allowing
their guests to smoke. 'They may come up with a smoking lounge but it
will be mandatory that smoke from inside the lounge must not affect
people outside it.'

src : yahoo News