Union Minister refutes charge of TRS President

Hyderabad, Nov 15 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi today refuted the charge of Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhara Rao that she was responsible for issuing GO 297, implementing the Central Act on labelling 'Danger Mark Logo' on beedi packets along with other tobacco products.

Addressing the media here, she said Mr Rao had been making baseless allegations against her and the Congress on implementation of the Central Act in view of the coming by-elections to the Karimnagar Lok Sabha Constituency, to gain political mileage.

She said the Central Act for pictorial depiction of skull and crossbones, along with a warning on all tobacco products was brought in during the NDA regime. Various rules under the Act had been notified and one of them, Cigaratte and other Tobacco Products (Packing and Labelling) Rules, 2006, notified on July five this year was due to come into effect from November one, 2007.

On state Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's representation for a review for beedi packets, she said a meeting would be convened with representatives of tobacco product makers and other experts.

However, there was no exemption for beedi packets from the Act.

She said the Centre had been spending Rs 30,000 crore for cancer patients and other tobacco related diseases. The Government intention was to ensure people's welfare and health. She said 2.5 million people were suffering from tobacco-related disease and seven to eight lakh new cases were being added every year.

She said 2500 people were dying everyday due to cancer and other tobacco-related diseases.

UNI BR AA VA HT1952