Assam: Steps Taken Against Sale of Tobacco Products in Tinsukia and South Salmara Mankachar District

Tinsukia: The Tinsukia district administration issued a prohibitory order U/S 133 whereby the sale of cigarettes, gutka, pan masala and tobacco products were banned within a radius of 100 metres from the existing educational institutions.

It came to the notice of the district administration that school and college students started using these tobacco products due to the sale of such products near their respective educational institutions. The District Magistrate of Tinsukia, Saupneel Paul, therefore, issued the directive banning the sale of such harmful products in the Tinsukia district.

Many business establishments were selling cigarettes, gutka, pan masala and tobacco products that are harmful to health near several educational institutions in Tinsukia district. There is a strict ban on the sale of pan masala and other tobacco products. “Action will be taken under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code if any person or institution violates the ban,” it was stated in the aforesaid prohibitory order.

Meanwhile, the local police of South Salmara Mankachar district also confiscated tobacco products including cigarettes, bidis, gutkha etc from several outlets in the localities. They also gave a strict warning to the owners of these shops not to involve themselves in the sale of such products in the future.

The The team of police carried out searches at the Kharuabandha Bazar, near the Hatsingimari District Hospital and in the vicinity of the Hatsingimari Namoni Jatiya Vidyalaya.