Tourist and heritage sites in Telengana to be tobacco free
Telengana government plans to ban tobacco in all the tourism destinations of the state. As part of implementing ban on tobacco in public places, Sunita M Bhagwat, the Commissioner, Department of Tourism, has sought declaration of all the tourist and heritage precincts managed by the department in the State as ‘Tobacco Free’.
She wrote letters to the Managing Director, Telengana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC), Director, Heritage Telangana, and also the Commissioners of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) in this regard. In the letter she suggested to make all the tourism departments of the state to be tobacco free, in addition to declaring tourism places.
The authorities are planning to put stickers declaring “This premises or building is tobacco free and use of any form of tobacco in this premises is prohibited and is a punishable offense with fine up to Rs 200” at all the department offices across the State.
The Commissioner’s letter to Tourism Departments is significant given that the World Tobacco Day is on February 4. The decision to implement ‘Tobacco Free’ tourism sites also comes in the wake of a sustained campaign from voluntary organisations including Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) and Indian Dental Association, Deccan Branch.
As per the rules, smoking is prohibited in auditoriums, health institutes, educational institutes, cinemas, modes of public transport (planes, buses/taxis, trains including metros and monorails) airports, bus stops/stations, railway stations, hotels and restaurants, all kinds of offices, libraries, shopping malls, canteens/refreshment rooms, post offices, amusement parks, courts, discotheques, pubs, bars and coffee houses.
The Commissioner of Department of Tourism in the letter has urged the Tourism wing officials to contact members of VHAI and IDA, Deccan for technical assistance in implementing tobacco free zones at heritage zones.