Another example at secretariat
The state government is not serious about implementing the Supreme Court verdict of enacting a law that penalises consumption of tobacco in public. In fact, there are three shops and two canteens within the secretariat premises where tobacco products are openly sold.

Three privately owned kiosks and two canteens, one being the employees canteen on the third floor of block two and the other being the Gujarat Tourism canteen on the first floor sell cigarettes and tobacco. In fact, the tobacco consumption among government employees in the secretariat is so high that every block has two to three peons, who stock tobacco products and claim to cater to not just employees but even top officials.

The state government decided to impose a fine of Rs 100 on those found smoking or spitting in the Secretariat offices under the Bombay Police Act. However till date, not a single person has been fined due to confusion as to who should be the authority to collect the fine.

The picture is the same in the old Sachivalay. There are three kiosks outside the canteen that employees frequent.

As the state celebrates the World Tobacco Day on Saturday, a reluctance to implement the rules indicates a tacit encouragement to smoking and consumption of tobacco.

Health commissioner V.A. Sathe told The Asian Age that there are restrictive orders against smoking in the secretariat and spitting in the corridors. "We have implemented measures and smoking in the offices have been stopped," he claimed.

However, when asked about the shops existing within the Secretariat, Mr Sathe claimed there is no law that bans sale of tobacco within the Secretariat. When asked how restrictions are possible without a ban on sale within the Secretariat Mr Sathe said rules need to be framed to ensure that instructions are strictly adhered to.

While instructions have been prominently displayed on each floor of the secretariat banning smoking and spitting and a fine of Rs 100 against any violation, sources say that not a single paise has been collected in terms of fines from the Secretariat.

The security at the Secretariat insists that no directions have been passed on to them to act or collect fines if they find a person violating the instructions and health officials insists it is the job of the security.

Meanwhile, flagrant violations of the restrictions on smoking or spitting continue in the Secretariat.

While there is no discreet survey done as to how many employees in the Secretariat are addicted to tobacco, officials said that more than 50 per cent of the employees are addicted to some form of tobacco.

At the health department in the old secretariat placards read "quit tobacco, beat tobacco, stay healthy, stay wealthy" and warn against becoming "merchants of death" by advertising about tobacco consumption.

Meanwhile, the state government is sitting over a legislation restricting smoking and chewing of gutkhas in public places despite a year having passed since the Supreme Court has issued directives to the states.

Officials admit that it is difficult to restrict smoking and chewing of gutkhas at public places.

Secretariat officials say that the reluctance of the state government to restrict smoking belies the commitment shown on the World Tobacco Day. "It just goes to show that the commitment is restricted to that single day."

Republished from The Asian Age