Bangalore: Around 2,000 hotels and restaurants in the city are set to become smoke-free in a few days in order to comply with the Cigarette and Other Tobacco products Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA).
Section 4 of the COTPA, 2003, prohibits smoking in all public places. Public place is defined as any place to which the public has access, whether as of right or not, and includes all places visited by general public namely auditorium, hospital building, railway waiting room, amusement centers, public offices, court buildings, educational institutions, libraries, coffee houses, canteens, banks, clubs and also open spaces surrounding hotels/restaurants etc.
Violation of Section 4 of COTPA can be punished with a fine extending up to Rs200. As per the section, police can penalize the manager of the hotel but not the customers.
Bureau Report
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