COPTA team conducts surprise checking of shops

Leh, Dec, 19, 2023: A team consisting of squad members under COTPA (Cigarette and other tobacco product Act) conducted a surprise checking of various shops on December 19 after receiving complaints from different education institution headed by District Health Officer Leh along with officers/officials representatives from Police Station Leh, Drug Controller UT Ladakh, Food Inspector Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) Leh, Inspector Sale Tax UT Ladakh, District Consultant National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) Leh, Inspector Municipal Committee, UT Ladakh.

The team inspected various shops near different education institutions and seized numbers of cigarette and other tobacco products valued in thousands of rupees and were destroyed on the spot in presence of all squad members, and imposed Rs. 7,000/- (Rupees Three Thousand) from three violators, as penalty under the rules.

In this connection, the shopkeepers are warned to be cautious, failing which their shops license will be cancel if found selling tobacco under the 100 yards of any education institutions, and the violators will be dealt very seriously under the COTPA rules.