How Chandigarh stubbed the butt

If someone is caught smoking at a public place, he is fined Rs 200. Until now, 2,671 challans have been issued. 8220;We are issuing 20-25 challans a month. Officers of sub-inspector level and above are authorised to challan violators,8221; says Dr Deepak Bakshi, the nodal officer of the no-smoking drive.

Is the challan money being pumped back into the drive? 8220;As of now, not,8221; he adds. 8220;But we may if it is required.8221;

Manjit Singh Bains, director, UT health services, says: 8220;The drive has made a visible impact in hospitals and government offices. We are getting weekly reports from various departments on ban enforcement.8221;

He adds: 8220;The UT Administration has allowed me to use money from my budget for this drive.8221;

Hemant Goswami, chairman of an NGO called Burning Brain Society which was instrumental in making the city smoke-free, says there has been no monetary help from the Centre. 8220;8216;They released millions of rupees to 11 other states for a similar campaign on the lines of Chandigarh, but not a paisa to the city that introduced the concept.8221;

This, when Goswami was invited by Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss to his home state, Tamil Nadu, last year to help work out a campaign in Chennai as well.

The campaign has not been a smooth sailing. 8220;Awareness level was very high in the initial four-five months,8221; says Vivek Atray, UT tourism director.

However, for A P S Shergill, who is a member of the Chandigarh Tobacco Control Cell, the drive has become a non-issue. 8220;When SSP Gaurav Yadav was here, there was a proactive approach. But now, there is total apathy. While foreigners respect the ban, locals don8217;t,8221; he says.

There is a discernible slackening on the ground. For example, when the drive was launched, a huge hoarding on smoke-free Chandigarh had come up at Sector 17 inter-state bus terminus. It is no longer there. Nor is there any signboard at the Sector 43 bus stand. As a result, many outsiders don8217;t get the message. 8220;We did not know smoking is banned here,8221; says Bunty Thakur, a Nagpur resident. 8220;We came here for a job interview. But cigarettes are not easily available here.8221;

It8217;s not just outsiders, even locals can be seen smoking in public, making the job more difficult for cops. 8220;We lack sufficient strength. Moreover, we have more pressing problems at hand. But we do challan people,8221; says a sub-inspector, requesting anonymity.