Sale of liquor & tobacco products to juveniles banned in Changlang district

* DC's order to be mandatory for students below 18 years of age

* Shopkeepers must seek Identity Cards (as age proof) from customers

OUR CORRESPONDENT

BORDUMSA: Acting swiftly upon the memorandum submitted recently by Miao unit of Arunachal Pradesh Woman Welfare Society (APWWS), the Deputy Commissioner of Changlang Dr Devansh Yadav in an order (C/JUD-6 /2020) issued on October 22, 2020 prohibited the sale of IMFL liquors and intoxicating tobacco products to juvenile and students below 18 years across the district in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the prohibitory order, all shopkeepers across the district are required to seek Identity Card as a proof of age before selling the liquor and tobacco products.

Invoking the earlier Magisterial order issued to this effect via notification No C/JUD-06/2020 dated August 26, 2014 and August 28, 2019, the order also reminded the defaulters for strict complience and prohibited the selling of the mentioned harmful commodities within 100 yards of any educational institution; failing which the provisions under Section 24 of the 'Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products 2003 (COTPA )-Act' would take its natural course against the defaulters, stated the order.

Further, it is now mandatory for all liquor shops in the district to maintain registers recording the entries of the customers. "All liquor shops are to ensure that the CCTV cameras in the premises are active and functional 24 X7", stated the magisterial order.

"Any shopkeepers in the district, if found violating the said provisions, would be dealt with seriously as per law and the offence if proved might lead to cancellation of the license", warns the executive order.

Meanwhile, APWWS president Odit Tamut Singpho — who had demanded that the administration should come up with it's reformative interference through a memorandum to this effect recently — has expressed gratefulness of the women's organisation; and expected that the people in the greater Miao area will follow the order in its letter and spirit. "We would keep an eagle eye upon the affairs; and act immediately in liason with the local authorities as and when the provisions of the prohibitory orders are found to be violated here in Miao", said the leader of APWWS. 

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