Smoking in DU campus injurious to smokers

What Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss appeal to Shahrukh Khan to “quit smoking onscreen” could not fertile, perhaps the Delhi University’ message of “No Smoking” from February 15.

Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has thrown out a clear message demanding blanket ban on smokers in campus from mid of February.

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Police together with student volunteers will launch a drive against smoking in campus and smokers caught on the spot will be penalized.

The sincerity of the anti-smoking campaign in Delhi University campus can be gauged with the fact that all the cigarette vendors has been vacant of tobacco products from Thursday.

A complete ban will be effective from Feb 15 and till then an awareness drive at the student front will inform students about the new rules.

The new rules prohibit vendors from selling cigarette and tobacco products within 100 metres of any college and forbid students from smoking within the area. But it is not mentioned whether only students are prohibited from smoking or there is a ban on public too, crosses through the campus.

The vendors caught selling cigarettes after Feb 15 will have to pay a fine of Rs 200 for the first time and Rs 500 on the subsequent incident. The fine for students caught red handed has not been made clear yet.

The anti-smoking campaign will be jointly carried out by the Delhi Police, DUSU and Delhi University.

"Police with the help of Anti-Smoking Cell personnel and students will form a joint squad and move in the University area to catch smokers from February 15," DCP Devesh Srivastav said on Thursday.

At a press conference organised by the DUSU he said, "We have warned vendors over sale of cigarettes and told them tobacco products should not be sold within 100 metres of educational institutions.”

Smokers on the other way are ready to openly defy the joint campaign executed by DP and DUSU against smoking.

Although there is a suspicion on how long and how sincerely the drive will go. But the move is good one for the health perspective.