The Kota City is fully geared up for time-bound action to make a city tobacco-free that fulfills the provision of law COTPA, 2003. This follows a multi-stakeholder meeting chaired by Dr. Ramakant, Chief Medical Health Officer, Kota, and Yagya Dutt Hada, President SCOUT and other important stakeholders that being decided to make Kota a model COTPA compliance city.

Superintendent of Police, Education officer, Doctors and experts attended the half-day workshop in which they have explained the various sections of COTPA and the steps on achieving model compliance city.

Mr. Jayesh Joshi, Secretary, VAAGDHARA explained about the purpose of the workshop and asked all stakeholders to be strict towards COTPA violation. “We are embarking on an important subject as a project that will have positive implications on the health and well-being of the people especially covering youth and children”. If we work together as a unit, we will make a model in just six months” He discussed during the workshop while sharing the important points for strengthening the COTPA rules in different sectors.

“We need to cut down the demand through different measures, which automatically affect the supply chain of Tobacco” he added during the workshop.

Superintendent of Police Mr.Deepak Bhargav explained the various sections of COTPA and the punitive measures prescribed for violation of each. Section 4 of COTPA prohibits smoking in all public places; acts of violation will invite a fine of up to Rs 200. Public places have also to put up mandatory no-smoking signage’s in the prescribed size and format at the entrance and conspicuous places inside. Educational institutions, hospitals, restaurants, cinema halls and the like are included in the list of public places, he shared and also added about the special drive being strict action against COTPA violation where 450 Challans have been recorded and INR 86000 has been collected as fine. He also requested and shared the contact details for complaining against COTPA violation.

Mr. Lavaniya, CMHO explained the field level experiences on implementing COTPA and it's been continuous efforts as behavior change is itself time taking process. He also highlighted the circulars of governments which been providing support towards abiding COTPA laws.

Cancer Specialist, Dr. R.K.anwar spoke about the immediate and larger effects of using tobacco and how it reacts into the body. He also shared the physical and financial hardship patients had to face following tobacco-induced oral cancer. The workshop was organized by Vaagdhara together with different stakeholders for creating a model- Kota Tobacco-free city - a coalition of like-minded stakeholders in progress. More than 65 numbers of officers, doctors, and other important stakeholders attended the workshop and developed a common plan against developing the tobacco-free city.