KOCHI: Only 15 days remain for the state government to submit its compliance report before the High Court on the action taken towards the implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA)and its allied rules.But, the government has not even constituted the various committees as directed by the court. It has also not framed the guidelines for the implementation of the programme.The Kerala High Court had passed an order on March 26, while considering a petition filed by the Kerala Voluntary Health Services, directing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the State of Kerala, Central Board of Film Certification and the State Police Department to monitor the enforcement of the Act, including prohibition of sale of tobacco products near educational institutions and ban on display of such products in the visual media.The court had asked the state government to form committees at the state, district and school level for the implementation of the Act. The School Protection Committee under the head of the institution was to take action based on complaints on its own. The district-level monitoring committee was to look after the working of the school committees, carry out surprise inspections and organise awareness camps.Meanwhile, the state-level monitoring committee was entrusted with the task of overseeing the working of the district committees. Based on these directions, the court had asked the state government to produce a compliance report on the action taken by it and submit a copy of the guidelines issued by the government on the functioning of the committees within a period of two months.But, the state-level committee has not only failed to issue any guidelines on the functioning of the various committees but even the circulars or notification on the constitution of the committees has not been done.A few district committees have been formed under the district administration and various organisations. But, many of them are dysfunctional.“It’s high time the state government initiated action under the Act. Even the circulars on the constitution of the committees have not been sent to the government departments.“In the absence of guidelines or notification on these committees, there is no strict mechanism for their functioning.“Even the recently-formed district-level committees may be discontinued as soon as the voluntary organisations withdraw from its functioning,” said Saju Vitty, Executive Officer of the Kerala Voluntary Health Services.“Moreover, even after the judgment many films like Mallu Singh have come up overtly violating the terms of the Act,” he added.Meanwhile, K Jayakumar, Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala, said that the state government is taking action as per the directions of the court.
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