Karnataka govt to increase age for purchase of tobacco products
The government is mulling not to give permits to hookah bars in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said the state government will take steps to increase the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 years. In this regard, the government will be bringing in amendments to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, he told reporters here.
Also, the government is mulling not to give permits to hookah bars in the state, the minister added.
The decision was taken at a meeting held by Rao with Health Department officials along with Sports Minister Nagendra at the Vidhan Soudha here where they also discussed banning of other tobacco products in public places.
Speaking after the meeting, the Health Minister said apart from schools, the sale and consumption of tobacco products had been banned around temples and hospitals.
He said the government will also increase the age limit to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years.
Rao said that youngsters are increasingly attracted to hookah bars and that it has an adverse effect on their health.
As hookah bars have become an alternative for consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products for youths, the Health Minister said, 'We have discussed bringing in amendments to the Act...We have discussed issuing a government order in this regard in the days to come. The wording and legal aspects will be discussed and decided.' Rao said today's youth are losing their precious future by being addicted to drugs. In this background, we have taken a firm decision to root out illegal activities.
After consuming tobacco, youths were attracted to drugs and substance abuse. Tobacco use laid the foundation for all this and so we have started to correct it at the source, he added.
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Mangaluru airport issues advisory to passengers, heightens security measures
Mangaluru: In response to recent cross-border attacks by Pakistan and rising tensions along the international boundary, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has directed airports across India to enhance security protocols. As part of this nationwide alert, Mangaluru International Airport has intensified surveillance, and introduced secondary ladder point checks (LPSC).
Explaining about the new protocol, Jaideep Shenoy, Public Relations Officer at Mangaluru International Airport, said that the secondary ladder point security check involves a second round of frisking. Passengers will first undergo standard checks by the CISF at the security checkpoint. Before boarding the aircraft, either via a boarding bridge or a bus, they will be subjected to an additional frisking by airline staff at the gate. Shenoy emphasized that the LPSC is a standard security measure implemented at all airports.
He also urged travelers to stay updated by checking the airport’s official social media channels for accurate and timely information.
In light of circulating reports regarding restrictions on visitor entry, Shenoy clarified that the entry of visitors into the terminal has always been restricted. Visitors may accompany passengers up to the departure gates or receive them at the arrival gates, as per existing rules.
In an advisory issued on Friday, Mangaluru International Airport urged passengers to arrive well in advance of their scheduled departures to accommodate extended security checks, and to cooperate with airport and security personnel.
The airport authorities also urged people not to share any unverified information.
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Here’s everything you need to know before you fly, from security guidelines to handy dos and don’ts.
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