BMC ready to stub it out

Corporation passes proposal to ban smoking in work places

A notice of motion to ban smoking in public spaces brought by BJP corporator Ram Barot on Tuesday was passed by the Corporation. Now, it’s fate lies with Municipal Commissioner Johny Joseph.

The BMC wants a law banning smoking at public places — including restaurants, bars and work places — on the lines of similar laws in the US and European countries. As per the proposed act, people can smoke in smokers’ rooms and smoking zones.

Major cities in the US like New York, New Jersey, Washington, Hawaii, Louisiana had such laws, Barot said. “The Corporation wants to bring a law for banning the use of tobacco, chewing of gutkha and smoking in public places and working places in Mumbai. My only intention is to keep Mumbaities healthy and fit.”

In the notice of motion, Barot said that there were an estimated 19.5 crore males and 4.5 crore females (including children) who used tobacco regularly in the country ( as per 2004 figures). As per a study report, every year eight lakh tobacco-related deaths were reported — mostly TB and Neoplasm, he added.

Calling it a good move, Joseph told DNA that he would look at the issue in a positive way. “Even the Bombay Police Act has provisions for banning smoking and chewing tobacco in public places. We will study these and plan our action,” he said.