Meghalaya: Smoking of Tobacco Prohibited in Public Places in East Jaintia Hills

East Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya): The Deputy Commissioner of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district informed its general public that in the exercise of the power conferred in Section 21 and 24 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, the Government of Meghalaya's Department of Health and Family Welfare have issued a notification in the interest of its public.

The notification issued by the department states that according to the Section 4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003, no person shall smoke in any public places (any places to which the public has access, whether as a matter of right or not) and includes an auditorium, railway waiting room, hospital buildings, amusement centres, restaurants, public offices, educational institutions, court buildings, libraries, public conveyances and the like which are visited by the general public but does not include any open space.

Along with this order, the notification also ordered that under the Section 6 of the COTPA 2003, no person shall sell, offer for sale or permit sale of cigarette or any other tobacco products to a person who is under eighteen years of age. The tobacco products should not be sold in an area, which is within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution.

The DC of East Jaintia Hills district further stated that all the Head of Departments, Managers, Principals and others must display the signage of "No Smoking", which is specified under the Act in the respective offices or premises. He further informed the general public that any violation of the Act is a punishable offence, which will have a fine up to Rs 200. The Law enforcement authorities and the authorized personnel will keep an eye on the implementation as well as the violation of the Act.

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