By Sunil Sonkar
Mussoorie, 23 Oct: The Mussoorie Municipality is preparing a new framework to regulate the sale of tobacco products and safeguard public health. The initiative focuses on bringing tobacco retail outlets under a licensing system and ensuring compliance with regulations regarding smoking in public areas. To this end, an awareness workshop on Tobacco Vendor Licensing (TVL) and tobacco control was held at the Municipal Council office on Friday. A key aspect of this initiative is the recognition that tobacco control is not solely the responsibility of the Health Department, but a collective duty shared by the local governing body, vendors, and other relevant stakeholders. The Municipality aims to establish clear sales regulations, ensure vendors are fully aware of their responsibilities, and facilitate enforcement action in the event of legal violations.
Gaurav Bhasin, Executive Officer of the Municipality, stated that, following directives from the District Magistrate of Dehradun, a meeting was held with the Health Department and other stakeholders. Work is currently underway to draft regulations for tobacco vendor licensing and the control of tobacco sales. He emphasised the importance of raising public awareness regarding the adverse consequences of tobacco consumption. The Municipality, in collaboration with the Health Department and other relevant parties, will conduct outreach and awareness campaigns. Once the regulations are finalised, action will be taken against any violators in accordance with the law.
As part of broader tobacco control efforts, preventing smoking in public spaces also remains a significant challenge. According to Gaurav Bhasin, the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, includes several provisions—such as a ban on smoking in public places—but the enforcement mechanism needs to be strengthened to ensure effective compliance. Mussoorie attracts a large number of tourists; therefore, ensuring adherence to these rules in public spaces and raising awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco will be a key component of this initiative. During the workshop, Archana Uniyal (representing the District Tobacco Control Cell) and Awadhesh Kumar and Mamta Thapa (from Balaji Seva Sansthan) discussed tobacco control laws, the licensing system, and inter-departmental coordination. The issue of a one-year ban imposed by the state government on certain tobacco products, including gutkha and khaini, was also raised. Any action taken will be in accordance with the government order regarding these products and the specific terms of the ban. For now, the focus remains on the drafting and implementation process of the municipal regulations. Only then will it become clear which vendors will be required to obtain a license and what actions will be taken in the event of any violations.
Those present on the occasion included Municipal Chairperson Meera Saklani, Jasbir Kaur, Pawan Thalwal, Anil Goyal, Rajat Agrawal, Mohan Petwal, Sanjay Agrawal, Sub-Inspector Chhatrapal Singh, and Dr Ashish Savay, among others.
