Lok Sabha Question No. 2756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Infrastructure of Designated Smoking Areas
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Arvind Ganpat Sawant

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2756 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06 TH MARCH, 2020

## INFRASTRUCTURE OF DE SIGNATED SMOKING ARE AS

## 2756. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to ensure that the infrastructure of the designated smoking areas are inspected on a regular basis to see that faulty infrastructure does not im pact effectiveness of such areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether many cases of violations have been booked by the Government so far, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the total amount allocated towards construction and maintenance of a designated smoking area at airports;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  remove designated  smoking  areas/rooms  from Airports and Hotels; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b) : As per the Rule 4 of the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 20 'Smoking  area  or  space'  mentioned  in  the  proviso  to  Section  4  of  the  Act  shall  mean  a separately ventilated smoking room that:
- (i) is physically separated and surrounded by ful l height walls on all four sides;
- (ii) has an entrance with an automatically closing door normally kept in close position;
- (iii) has an air flow system, as specified in schedule I

## The Schedule I of the Rules states that;

- I. that is exhausted directly to th e outside and not mixed back into the supply air for the other parts of the building; and
- II. It is fitted with a non - re circulating exhaust ventilation system or an air cleaning syst or by a combination of the two, to ensure that the air discharges only in a manner that does not re - circulate or transfer it from a smoking area or space to nonsmoking areas.

The enforcement of provisions of COTPA, 2003 and Rules made thereunder primarily lies  with  the  States/Union  Territories.  For  effective  implementation  of this  Section,  Central Government  has  notified  authorized  officers  from  various  Departments  and  also  advi States/Union Territories, from time to time, for strict compliance of COTPA, 2003.

Since,  t he  enforcement  of  provisions  of  COTPA,  2003  and  Rules  ma de  thereunder primarily  lies  with  the  States/Union  Territories,  such  data  is  not  maintained  centra effective implementation of the provisions of COTPA, 2003, Central Government has notif authorized of ficers from various Departments for strict co mpliance of COTPA, 2003.

(c): No such information is maintained centrally.

(d)& (e): The  target  envisaged  in  National  Health  Policy,  2017  for  relative  reductio prevalence  of  current  tobacco  use  is  30%  by  2025.  The  National  Health  Policy  2017  of Government  of  India  identifies  coordinated action  on  'Addressing  tobacco, alcohol  and substance abuse' as one of the seven priority areas as outlined for improving the environment for health.  Accordingly,  Nasha  Mukti  Abhiyan  Task  Force  (including  tobacco, alcohol  and substance  abuse)  was  constituted  to  formulate  a  detailed  'Preventive  and  Promotive  Care Strategy' for addressing tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse (Nasha Mukti Abhiyan). Pursuant to  its  first  meeting,  three  Working  Groups  viz.  Working  Group on  Preventive  Aspects; Regulatory Mechanisms; and Curative Aspects to formulate strategy for Nasha Mukti Abhiya were constituted. The Working Group on Regulatory Mechanisms has the mandate to explore t existing provisions of the concerned laws/schemes a nd to analyse whether any amendment is required  in  the  existing  provision/scheme.  The  recommendations  of  the  Working  Group  f redrafting/modifying the existing provisions of COTPA are awaited.