Transport department of Karnataka, which is known for safe and faster transport of people, has been in the forefront is implementing many public friendly measures. The department has also been very proactive in ensuring safety for public health when they are on the move.
The department, in the recent months, has also achieved some safety targets pertaining to tobacco control measures. Department’s two major wings, the KSRTC and BMTC have contributed immensely to this success. To share the related details with the media, a press conference was organized on Monday, April 7, 2014, which happened to be the eve of World Health Day.
Speaking on the occasion, BNS Reddy, Deputy Inspector General of Police and Director (Security & Vigilance) KSRTC, said that KSRTC has taken a lead and implemented Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act stringently and made public transport in Karnataka healthier. “In the last one year KSRTC has booked 16,288 cases and collected 32,57,600 in fine. He emphasized that smoking causes serious health hazards and passive smoking is equally dangerous. We want to ensure that bus stands should be rid of this menace.”
Dr Riyaz Basha, Associate professor from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, lauded the efforts of the transport department and said the same would go a long way in safeguarding the health of millions of people from the hazards to secondhand tobacco smoke, or passive smoking.
Dr. Vishal Rao Senior Consultant Surgical Oncologist at BGS Global Hospital said bus stations form a major share in the list of public places wherein smoking ban and other tobacco control measures are in place. “These are also the places wherein lots of people are exposed to second hand smoke especially women and children. The transport dept of Karnataka has been a trailblazer to implement smoke free law and used CCTV to catch violators in bus stands. This will be an example for other states to emulate and learn from our state mechanism. With such proactive measures “we can surely bring down the levels of secondhand smoke exposure at public places. This is vital since studies show that nearly 44% of our population is exposed to secondhand smoke†he added.
Mrs. Nalini Sathyanarayan, a Cancer victim due to passive smoking was also present at the event.
FOR : IBC WORLD NEWS.
