No smoking law becomes effective

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, NOV. 2. If you're are ``dying'' for a smoke, it would be a good idea to think twice. Health reasons apart, effective from today is the directive from the Supreme Court banning smoking in public places.

And while the administration considers the directive as a step in the right direction, for the general public and smokers, in particular, the directive ``will probably have no effect whatsoever''.

Although a law banning smoking in public places has been in place in the Capital since 1997, the Delhi Health Minister, Dr. A.K. Walia, feels the Supreme Court directive will ``help increase awareness'' and thereby facilitate its implementation.

``Even though Delhi has had such a law, we have been confronted with situations where people coming from outside the State are unaware about the law. Now, this problem would be resolved and we can take action comfortably,'' said Dr. Walia.

The order banning smoking in public places includes hospitals, health institutes, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries as well as auditoria. It also extends to modes of public transport, including the Railways.

The Railways, however, like the Delhi Government have already implemented a ban on smoking on its property, be it platforms or trains. According to the Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railway, Mr. Davinder Sandhu, ``our resolve will be strengthen through the Court's order''.

For those who have been championing the cause of anti-smoking laws, the directive by the Supreme Court is a ``welcome move''. Tjhe Chairman Heartcare Foundation and cardiologist, Dr. K.K. Aggarwal declared the directive to be a ``positive step and one that would further assist the enforcement of anti-smoking laws.''

The ``affected'' community, however, does not seem concerned about the directive. ``Such a law has been in effect in Delhi from 1997, but I have never been stopped from smoking. I don't think the situation will be any different now,'' said Anchal, a student.

But for the general public, several who have been disillusioned by the implementation of the law so far, the order would ``most likely be just another directive''. ``Even though an anti-smoking law has been in effect in Delhi for the past four years, I have seen several people smoking in public places especially in buses,'' said Aarti Malhotra, a management student. Another resident of Delhi, Ms. Gulrukh Parmar, declared that in a country like India, this order will most likely have no effect whatsoever.

However, only time will tell whether non-smoking signs will finally have effect in the Capital.

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