Lok Sabha Question No. 4980 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-31
Subject: Anti-spitting Laws and Unhygienic Surroundings
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4980 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 ST MARCH, 2017

## ANTI - SPITTING LAWS AND UN HYGIENIC SURROUNDINGS

## 4980. DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to the States regarding rampant spitting which has been the cause of many communicable diseases and unhygienic surroundings;
- (b) if s o, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes to  strengthen  anti - spitting  laws  and  if  so, the  details thereof; and
- (d) the details of awareness programme regarding the ill effects of chewing tobacco, betel, etc. and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

- (a)& (b): Swachh  Bharat  Mission  has  been  launched  from  2 nd October  2014  to  promote sanitation  and  hygiene  practices  throughout  the  country.  The  focus  of  the  programme  i behavior change for adoption of safe sanitation and hygiene, and Information, Educatio Communication (IEC) campaigns are carried out for this.

This Ministry has also released the Swachchta Guidelines for Public Health Facilitie

Since Sanitation is State subject, the State governments/ local bodies are empower issue guidelines on spitting in public places.

- (c): An  inter - minis terial  committee  has  been  constituted  on  'Ban  on  spitting  in  public places'.
- (d): The Government has taken, inter -alia, following key steps to discourage the consumption of tobacco products with an aim to reduce the demand of tobacco products;
- I. The 'Cigarettes  and  Other  Tobacco  Products  (Prohibition  of  Advertisement  and Regulation  of  Trade  and  Commerce,  Production,  Supply  and  Distribution)  Act,  2003 (COTPA, 2003) has been enacted to discourage the consumption of cigarettes and othe tobacco products.
- II.The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014,  and  further  notification  dated  24 th September,  2015  mandates  specified  health warnings  covering  85%  of  the  principal  display  area  of  the  packages  of  tobac produc ts.
- III. The National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) was launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in 2007 -08 with the objectives to bring about greater awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and Tobacco Control La and to facilitate effective implementation of the Tobacco Control Laws.
- IV. The      Ministry      has      started        National      Toll - free  Helpline  in  2008  to  provide information on harmful effects of consumption of tobacco, and on how to quit tobac use, including a fter - effects of quitting tobacco.
- V. In  addition,  the  Ministry  has  started  National  Tobacco  Quitline  to  provide  tob cessation  services  to  the  community  and  has  launched  a  pan -India  'mCessation' initiative to reach out to tobacco users who are willing to quit tobacco use .
- VI. The stakeholders are made aware on a regular basis about the adverse effects of tob usage on health through different modes of communication.
- VII. The  Government  of  India,  under  the  COTPA,  2003,  has  enacted  Rules  that  regulate depic tion  of  tobacco  use  in  films  and television programmes and inter -alia, mandates display of Anti - tobacco health spots/disclaimers/messages in all films/TV programmes depicting tobacco products or their use. The Rules further prohibit display of bra ci garettes  or  other  tobacco  products  or  any  form  of  tobacco  product  placement  a depiction of any tobacco products or their usage in any form in promotional mater and posters of films and television programmes.
- VIII. The  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Regulations issued  in  2011  under  the  Food  Safety  & Standards Act, 2006 lay down that tobacco and nicotine cannot be used as ingredien Food Products.