No smoking at heritage and tourist sites in Telangana

The government of Telangana is looking forward to ban tobacco consumption across all tourism destinations in the state. In order to execute ban on tobacco in public, Sunita M Bhagwat, Commissioner of Department of Tourism, has appealed that all the heritage and tourist places controlled by the department should be declared as “tobacco free.”
Reportedly, Sunita M Bhagwat wrote letter to the MD, Telengana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) as well as Director of Heritage Telangana, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), and Commissioners of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) regarding imposing ban on tobacco. She suggested that all the tourism department of Telangana should be made tobacco-free, and the authorities should also declare tobacco-free tourism sites.

The authorities in-charge will be putting stickers announcing that the building or premises is tobacco free, and use of tobacco in the said premises is prohibited by law. The authorities will also be notifying others about the fine of INR 200 to be incurred by anyone who breaks the rule.
According to the news reports, the letter written by the Commissioner to Tourism Department is important due to the fact that World Tobacco Day was on February 4. The decision to implement ‘Tobacco Free’ tourism sites has also come as a consequence of persistent campaign from voluntary organisations such as Indian Dental Association, Deccan Branch, and Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI).

The rules prohibit smoking in educational institutions, health institutions, auditoriums, cinema halls, public transports such as buses/taxis/aeroplanes/trains, airports, bus stops, railway stations, restaurants and hotels, offices, shopping malls, canteens, libraries, post offices, courts, amusement parks, pubs/bars/discotheques and coffee shops.


The Commissioner of Department of Tourism has reportedly requested the tourism wing officials in the letter to get in touch with members of VHAI and IDA, Deccan for technical assistance in executing tobacco-free zones at heritage sites.