Delhi goes up in smoke

Statistics reveal that Delhi has fined the highest number of offenders for smoking in public places, since the ban came into effect last year

Statistics reveal that Delhi has fined the highest number of offenders for smoking in public places, since the ban came into effect last year

While Delhi has fined over 46,000 people for smoking in public, Tamil Nadu has earned over Rs 1.2 crore in smoking fines, the highest among all the states after implementing the ban, the health ministry said yesterday.

The smoking ban in public places was a brainchild of former health minister Anbumani Ramadoss and came into effect on Oct 2, 2008.

According to government statistics, the national capital has reported 11,362 cases of violation from which the state government has collected Rs 1.07 crore in fines till July.

In reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), the Delhi government said it had fined 46,531 people and institutions from Oct 2, 2008 to early September 2009.

Kicking The Butt: MiD DAY ran a reality check on the smoking ban in Delhi yesterday

Repeat violations

While smoking in public can cost up to Rs 200 per person, the fine is more for an institutional offender.

The RTI reply from the state government also said the earning from fines in Delhi has been more than Rs 4 crore.

Though Delhi is the number one state in terms of fining the most people, it is Tamil Nadu that has earned the most over Rs 12.6 crore by fining 10,979 offenders both in the individual and institutional categories.

"Maybe Tamil Nadu has fined more institutions than individuals," said a health ministry official, while explaining the revenue gap between the two states.

Karnataka has earned Rs 1.15 crore by fining around 2,500 offenders and Mizoram has fined around 1,200 people for violating the smoking ban.

Rajasthan seems to be not taking the regulation seriously as it has fined only 9 people till April 2009.

Uttar Pradesh is number two from the bottom in implementing the law it has fined only 21 offenders. While Goa has fined 250 people, Kerala has caught 1,173 breaking the law.

Rs 12.6 cr
The amount collected by way of fines in Tamil Nadu

46,531
The number of people penalised in Delhi for smoking in public places

Rs 200
The penalty amount for an individual caught smoking

21
The number of people fined in UP for smoking in the last one year