Smoking at Public Places: Around 20,000 challans produced against persons in last four years in Kashmir

As the government has taken slew of measures to decrease the percentage of tobacco consumption in the UT, authorities have produced over 20,000 challans and collected over Rs 15 lakh from violators for smoking in public places in Kashmir division.

As per the data accessed by News Agency—Kashmir News Observer, around 20,002 challans were produced and Rs 152 1552 were collected from violators in the valley in the last four years.

Data reveals that in year 2019-20, 791 challans were produced under section 4 and Rs 85,390 were collected, Rs 250 collected from 5 challans under section 6(a), Rs 5600 collected from 25 challans under section 6 (B) , Rs 750 collected from 9 violators under section 5 and 200 collected from 2 violators under section 7.

It reveals that in year 2020-21, 5,944 challans were produced under section 4 and Rs 615,210 were collected, Rs 300 collected from 6 challans under section 6(a), Rs 300 collected from 06 challans under section 6 (B) , Rs 950 collected from 19 violators under section 5 and 150 collected from 3 violators under section 7.

It also reveals that in year 2021-22, 5,435 challans were produced under section 4 and Rs 572,080 were collected, Rs 200 collected from 4 challans under section 6(a), Rs 300 collected from 06 challans under section 6 (B) , Rs 650 collected from 12 violators under section 5 and 50 collected from one violator under section 7.

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Data adds that in year 2022-23, 7,707 challans were produced under section 4 and Rs 265,572 were collected, Rs 150 collected from 3 challans under section 6(a) , Rs 350 collected from 7 violators under section 5 and 100 collected from 2 violators under section 7.

Notably, about 1200 persons quit smoking in Kashmir in the last four years.

Pertinently, as per GATS 2 Data 35.2% Men & 5.1% women & 20.8% of all Adults currently smoke Tobacco in J&K

6.8% Men & 1.5% women and 4.3% of all adults currently use smokeless Tobacco, 39.7% Men & 6.2 % women & 23.7% of all adults either smoke tobacco or use smokeless Tobacco.

The National Health and Family Survey-5 (NHFS-5) data reveals nearly one-third (32%) of men, but only 1 percent of women, aged 15-49 use some form of tobacco.

“Tobacco products mostly used by men are cigarettes (27%), bidis (4%), hookah and cigars or pipe (2% each). Among women and men, the use of any form of tobacco is slightly higher in rural areas (1.4% for women and 35% for men) than in urban areas (0.7% for women and 24% for men),” the data adds—(KNO)