Patna: The state tobacco control co-ordination committee iterated the decisions earlier taken by the health department regarding tobacco control in the seventh meeting of the committee held on Monday after a gap of around two-and-a-half years.
Principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar, who presided over the meeting on Monday, said alternative crops would be promoted for tobacco crops, a decision which had been announced by health minister Mangal Pandey while he released data of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-2 on February 17 this year.
The principal secretary added that municipal corporations would be asked to ensure removal of all tobacco product-related advertisements and hoardings in their areas. Sources said the executive director of State Health Society, Bihar, Lokesh Kumar Singh had already issued a direction regarding this on March 27 through a notification.
The decision of creating tobacco awareness programme in schools under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, which the health minister announced while releasing GATS-2 data was iterated in the meeting.
A senior official, who took part in Monday's meeting, said the last meeting of the committee took place on October 9, 2015, and the decisions taken in the last meeting had also not been properly implemented. "The meeting should be held regularly but you can gauge the seriousness of the officials from the fact that it is held after a gap of around two-and-a-half years," he said.
In Monday's meeting, the principal secretary, health, said farmers' groups would be sent to other states to study alternative cropping for tobacco.
Hookah bar
Executive director of State Health Society, Bihar, Lokesh Kumar Singh has issued an advisory to all district magistrates, senior superintendents of police and district tobacco control co-ordinator committee members to act against hookah bars running illegally and in violation of provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Food Safety and Standards Act, Environment Act and Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Singh has issued a notification regarding this on May 5.
