MARGAO
The South Goa Tobacco Control Committee in coordination with the Directorate of Health Services on Friday conducted training on COTPA for enforcement officials from the district at the South Goa Collectorate.
The enforcement training assumed significance and comes against the backdrop of last week’s seizure of a consignment of gutka and banned tobacco products at the Margao railway station worth around Rs 40 lakh.
Goacan Coordinator Roland Martins told the media that the enforcement officers will be made aware of their powers and procedures on various aspects such as non-displaying of boards etc.
Martins exuded confidence that the training program will help them to make COTPA more effective in the district. “We have seen over the last one week that gutka and other banned tobacco products were seized at the Margao railway station worth lakhs of rupees. This shows that the banned tobacco products are coming into Goa and later distributed to the gaddas and sale points”, he said, adding that training in enforcement on COTPA provisions will help the enforcement officers to act decisively against the violators.
