CANACONA
The Enforcement Squad set up under District Coordination Committee for Tobacco Control on Thursday seized three sacks of foreign cigarettes from stalls operating at Palolem beach.
The raiding team consisting of Canacona Mamlatdar Ramesh Gaonkar and Joint Mamlatdar Dattaraj Gauns Dessai was also assisted by GOACAN Convenor Roland Martins and secretary Lorna Fernandes.
Canacona PSI Waman Naik, Canacona sanitary inspector and officials of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) were also part of the raid, which was conducted throughout the day.
According to officials, display and sale of foreign cigarettes is illegal, as it does not display the MRP, manufacturing and expiry date and no tax is paid to the government.
Most stalls at Palolem were penalized and imposed fines for not displaying proper display of warnings against smoking and against sale to children. All the foreign cigarette stocks were seized and taken away in sacks.
“Not only locals, but even domestic and international tourists are being taken for a ride at Palolem, which is a world-class beach,” Martins told The Goan.
“In the sale of tobacco, there should be 85% visible warning signs. Section 4 and Section 6A under Consumers Act is being blatantly violated by not displaying 'No Smoking' board and warnings against sale of tobacco to children.”
While the Enforcement Squad raid was in progress, FDA officials Sanjyot Kudalkar and Abel Rodrigues extended their raid to food items and issued warning letters to those stocking food items like cashew nuts, groundnuts/grams, packs, etc, without MRP, manufacturing and expiry date details under the Consumer Protection Act.
The District Coordination Committee for Tobacco Control will conduct a fortnight-long tobacco awareness programmes in all the talukas, and the last leg will be organised in Canacona on June 7.
Speaking to The Goan, Martins said that while the world celebrates 'No Tobacco Day' on May 31, awareness programmes will be conducted in all talukas and the last leg will be held at Canacona on June 7.
“People should not only know the ill-effects of tobacco, but should also help in curbing its illegal and unauthorized sale to children and others,” he said.
