EARTH NEWS SERVICE |Jammu, Jan 14 |16: Demanding an immediate end to use of cigarette and tobacco products in public transport vehicles, senior BJP leader Lal Singh Thursday asked authorities to act tough against people involved in any violations. Inaugurating the 27th Road Safety Week, themed at ‘Making Public Transport Vehicles Smoke Free’ in Jammu, the senior leader said that the officials of the transport department should effectively implement tobacco control laws in public transport buses and bus stands across the state. “The menace of tobacco use is not only affecting the health of the people in the state but our tourism Industry as well is taking a hit as tourists who throng the state in large numbers also feel irritated by the use of tobacco and other products by the transporters and the general public during travel,” he said. He also hailed the efforts of Voluntary Health Association of India (VHA) for initiating such drives. Singh also released a poster issued by VHAI displaying mandatory guidelines for transport department officials to ensure ‘smoke free’ vehicles in the state. Lal Singh also appreciated the gesture of the officials of the transport department who initiated a drive of sticking ‘No Tobacco’ signage’s’ in the commercial vehicles across the state.
