The Delhi Police went hammer and tongs on Friday against vendors selling tobacco products close to schools and hospitals in the capital.
The random drive, which saw raids on cigarette vendors in at least five police districts, comes almost three months after the Delhi high court pulled up and directed Delhi Police commissioner BK Gupta to enforce the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) more strictly.
“The said drive was conducted between noon and 2pm in the central district, primarily in areas that fall under the jurisdiction of Daryaganj and Kamla Market police stations,” said Vivek Kishore, deputy commissioner of police (central).
“We raided several paan vendors located within a 100-metre radius of educational institutions and found that they were not selling tobacco products in accordance with the directions of Delhi high court,” he said.
Similar drives were conducted at the Delhi University’s north campus, northwest Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh and Ashok Vihar, and several areas in the capital’s vast outer district.
“This is the second time that we have conducted this drive. The purpose is not to penalise the vendors but to apprise them of the honourable high court's decision in order to ensure compliance,” said Chhaya Sharma, DCP (outer), at whose directions random checking of vendors operating near schools and hospital located in the Mongolpuri, Rohini, Prashant Vihar, Begumpur and Badli areas was conducted.
Of all the districts where the random raids were conducted, west Delhi's Vikaspuri saw the only case in which a vendor was penalised. “During the drive, a vendor who was operating near the Mamta Modern Senior Secondary School in Vikaspuri's H block was penalised in accordance with the directions of the high court. The drive was conducted between noon and 1.30pm near the Acharya Shri Bhikshu Government Hospital in Moti Nagar and Vikaspuri,” said V Renganathan, DCP (west).
{{/usCountry}}Of all the districts where the random raids were conducted, west Delhi's Vikaspuri saw the only case in which a vendor was penalised. “During the drive, a vendor who was operating near the Mamta Modern Senior Secondary School in Vikaspuri's H block was penalised in accordance with the directions of the high court. The drive was conducted between noon and 1.30pm near the Acharya Shri Bhikshu Government Hospital in Moti Nagar and Vikaspuri,” said V Renganathan, DCP (west).
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