HC asks police to close tobacco shops near schools, colleges

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court todayasked the city Police Commissioner to initiate a departmentalinquiry against the concerned police officers if any outletwas found selling tobacco products within a radius of 100yards of any school or college.

Directing the police to effectively enforce theControl of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) a division bench ofChief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna also askedthe police chief to set up a special squad for properimplementation of the law.

The court''s order came after the petitioner NGOinformed the bench that it had recently conducted a survey in1023 out of 5106 total number of schools and 28 out of 323colleges under the Delhi University and found outlets sellingtobacco near the educational institutes.

Earlier, the court had directed the Commissioner ofPolice to issue instructions to his sub-ordinates to takesteps against such outlets.

The Bench was hearing a PIL filed by the NGO WorldLung Foundation alleging COTPA was not implemented with truespirit.

The Act covers prohibition of advertisement andregulation of trade and commerce, production, supply anddistribution of tobacco products, the NGO said.

The petitioner said a survey was conducted in DU and itwas found that selling of tobacco products near the collegesis rampant.