• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, December 28, 2021 : Tripura government has decided to make all government offices and educational institutes ‘Tobacco-Free’ before the 50th statehood celebrations which will be observed on January 21, 2022.

In a press conference held at Agartala on Tuesday afternoon, the District Magistrate (DM) of the West Tripura district Debapriya Bardhan said “A meeting with all officials of the office of District Magistrate and Collector of West Tripura district was held on Tuesday and decided that no staff, officials including visitors in the office shall abstain from use and carry of both smoke and smokeless Tobacco Products from Tuesday onwards within the office campus”.

“In case of non-compliance, the offenders will have to pay spot fine and challan as per COTPA 2003”, he added.

Bardhan said, “Till date in West Tripura district, 73 educational institutions, two Block Offices including Hejamara block and Jirania Block Central Medicine Store Shyamalibazar and Narsingarh PHC have already conducted staff meetings also displayed mandatory sign’s, and other required provisions in this financial year as per new guideline under the government of India”.

“We have maintained all criteria for this initiative. The decision was taken since many months back”, he said.

Replying to a query about the fine money collected in 2021, the DM said “A total of Rs 18,000 as fine money was collected from West Tripura district for not following the guidelines of the government about tobacco.”