Hyderabad: The Chief Secretary Dr SK Joshi on Thursday called for installing signboards at public places identified as no-smoking zones. Chairing a high-powered committee meeting on ‘Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003’ held in the city, he called for measures to evolve a smoking-free Telangana.
Therefore, he asked officials to install signboards in auditoria, educational institutions, railway stations, hotels, bus stations, government offices, cinema theatres, shopping malls and other places identifying them as no-smoking zones.
He called for constitution of coordination committees, enforcement teams at district levels and wanted officials to pay special attention to tourist places and bus stations. He wanted information on ill effects of tobacco to be incorporated in school curriculums.
The meeting discussed various good practices being implemented in other states. He asked the officials to keep a tab on the use of prohibited tobacco products. Medical and Health Principal Secretary Shanti Kumari, Education Secretary Janardhan Reddy, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat, Cyberabad Commissioner Sajjanar, and others took part in the meeting.