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Udupi, December 03: If found selling tobacco products in any shop or hotel within 100 meters of schools and colleges in the district, their business license should be canceled without hesitation, said the District Collector Dr. K Vidyakumari instructed the officials.

She was presiding over the quarterly meeting on COTPA-2003 Act under the District Tobacco Control Program held at the Collectorate Hall of Manipal Rajatadri in the city today.

In the last, District Tobacco Control and Cotpa Act implementation meeting, it has been instructed to take action if tobacco products are sold within 100 meters of schools and colleges. But even though they were found to be selling tobacco products in Navunda, Shirur, Hakladi, Uppunda village panchayats of Byndur taluk, warning and understanding notices were issued. Strict instructed that this is not right and the business license of such persons should be cancelled.

The government has developed an app for the public to complain if tobacco products are found being used in public places, and the app is called "Sanothi Khiobchichichio" and should be publicized more to the public. She said that the public should also use it and cooperate with the appropriate authorities or the police online.

She said that principals and teachers of schools and colleges should monitor whether students are using tobacco products, and if tobacco products are found being sold within a hundred meter radius, they should immediately inform the Kotpa Act Implementation Committee.

  She said that since April 2024, more than 54 immediate spot raids have been conducted in the district, more than 151 cases have been registered and a fine of Rs 16,070 has been collected.

District Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K, ASP PA Hegde, DFO Ganapathy, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr. I.P. Gadad, Joint Director of Agriculture Purnima GC, DDPI Ganapathy, DDPU Maruthi, various district level implementing officers and others were present.