Representative Image | AFP
Edappal: More than a decade has passed after enforcement of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of Government of India (COTPA) in 2003. The law was enforced to regulate trade, commerce, supply, distribution and production of cigarettes and other tobacco products in India.
One of the objectives of the law was to reduce smoking habit among citizens. Five years’ data on cases filed against public smoking and fine collected suggest that implementation of law has turned productive in Kerala.
In 2016, cases registered where 2,31,801. This year, the cases as of now are 63,861. Meanwhile, the fine for public smoking is Rs 200. The fine collected in this year until September is over Rs 1.27 crore.
Here is the monthly split of cases and fine collected in this year:
Month | Number of cases | Fine collected (Rs) |
January | 7931 | 15,86,300 |
February | 8918 | 17,83,600 |
March | 9857 | 19,71,700 |
April | 7711 | 15,42,200 |
May | 4283 | 8,56,600 |
June | 4439 | 8,87,800 |
July | 7720 | 15,44,000 |
August | 6525 | 13,05,000 |
September | 6477 | 12,95,400 |
2016: 2,31,801
2017: 1,62,443
2018: 1,10,039
2019: 87,646
2020: 46,770