Cancel shop licence if tobacco is sold near educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada: Officials
Mangaluru (Karnataka) Aug 8: Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada D Santhosh Kumar on Thursday ordered the authorities to take stern action against shopkeepers selling cigarettes and tobacco products within a 100-metre radius of schools and colleges.
“If the shopkeepers are found violating the sections of COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003), officials must take action mercilessly and cancel their trade licences” he said.
He was addressing a district-level coordination meeting under the National Tobacco Control Programme for the year 2024-25 held at the district office on August 8.
He gave the order to the Mangaluru city corporation officials and asked them to submit a monthly report to the Deputy Commissioner.
He said surveys conducted indicate that the consumption of tobacco is increasing among workers. The Labor Department and the District Tobacco Control Cell, in collaboration with Wenlock Hospital, should go to the workers' colonies and create awareness about the ill effects of tobacco consumption, he said.
In rural areas, Gram Panchayat Panchayat Development Officers should conduct continuous operations on tobacco control. He told them to raid and cancel the licence if tobacco is being sold within 100 metres of schools, colleges, religious places and anganwadis.
He directed the City Corporation, Excise Department, Labour Department, Education Department, Women and Child Welfare Department, and other concerned departments to take action in case of any illegal sale of tobacco in their jurisdiction.
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Snowfall blocks two key roads providing alternative connectivity to Kashmir
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): Traffic on the Mughal and Sinthan Top roads, which provide alternate connectivity to Kashmir, was temporarily suspended on Sunday due to light to moderate snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
However, traffic on the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway -- the only all weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- was plying as usual despite intermittent rains that ended the over one-and-a-half months long dry spell, they said.
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The Mughal road, which connects the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian, was closed for traffic as a precautionary measure after more than three inches of snow was recorded at Peer Ki Gali on Sunday afternoon.
A group of three tea vendors are left stranded on the road and efforts are on to evacuate them to safety, officials said.
After they were trapped in the snow, the vendors made passionate appeals through video messages urging the authorities to rescue them. The Border Roads Organisation has taken up snow clearance work and is trying to reach the stranded persons, officials said.
The Sinthan Top road, which connects Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with south Kashmir's Anantnag, was also closed after moderate snowfall in the higher reaches.
Both the mountainous roads usually remain closed for several months due to heavy snowfall during winter.
