Restaurants, malls in Greater Noida west fined for violating COTPA rules

Under these sections, the entry or exit of a restaurant cannot be made the smoking zone, and any smoking zone needs to display a white board with two warnings in black over white: “Tobacco smoking is injurious to your health and those of non-smokers” and “Persons aged under 18 years not allowed”

Gautam Budh Nagar Police and the district tobacco control committee on Wednesday fined three restaurants in a mall in Greater Noida west for violating the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003, officials said, adding they also fined 46 people for smoking in public in the area.

Officials added that the mall was also fined under Section 4 of the COTPA for not displaying “No Smoking” warnings. (Representative image/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Dr Shweta Khurana, consultant, district tobacco control cell, said, “Forty-six fines were imposed for violation of Section 4 (prohibition of smoking at public places) and Section 6 (prohibition on sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products to a person below the age of eighteen years) of COTPA in Gaur City township in Greater Noida west. We also found that illegal smoking of cigarettes was allowed in three restaurants operating in a mall in Greater Noida west. Penalty was imposed on them under sections 4 and 6 of COTPA”.

Under these sections, the entry or exit of a restaurant cannot be made the smoking zone, and any smoking zone needs to display a white board with two warnings in black over white: “Tobacco smoking is injurious to your health and those of non-smokers” and “Persons aged under 18 years not allowed”.

The sections also mandate that any non-smoking zone should be properly ventilated.

Officials added that the mall was also fined under Section 4 of the COTPA for not displaying “No Smoking” warnings.

“Apart from this, four fines were imposed on individuals for violation of Section 6 of COTPA in Galaxy North Avenue market of Gaur City-2 township while seven fines were imposed on individuals at another mall as well. Such surprise inspections will be carried out across the district at regular intervals,” said Dr Khurana.