Right to Information Act has a welcome impact when 293 petitions filed under RTI Act enquiring steps taken by Chandigarh Administration about implementation of 2003-legislation to ban smoking at public places ultimately compelled administrators to declare Chandigarh as India’s first ‘smoke-free’ city, which will be a big great relief to passively inhaled smoke by non-smokers. It will be advisable if other states follow the step before activists make use of similar RTI petitions.
However government should take ultimate step to follow sensible countries like Bhutan and Ireland by imposing a complete ban on manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the country. Smoking is an addiction started out of a hi-fi fashion at the young age when initial puffs even cause discomfort. Revenue-loss from ban on cigarettes will be more than compensated by funds saved on tobacco-related diseases apart from on useless media-campaign to celebrate ‘No Tobacco Day’ on May 31 every year.
Subhash C. Agrawal
Delhi