EAGLE Teams Crack Down on Tobacco, Gutkha Sales Near Colleges

Quick Summary

• A joint operation was conducted by the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and NTR Commissionerate Police near schools and colleges in Vijayawada on Saturday to enforce anti-tobacco laws.
• Cigarettes, gutkha, and other tobacco products were seized from paan, kirana, and cool drink shops during raids.
• EAGLE chief IGP Ake Ravi Krishna emphasized the prohibition under COPTA 2003 regarding the sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of educational institutions.
• DCP K.G.V. Saritha criticized local enforcement for failure to implement COPTA requirements effectively in these areas.
• Allegations were made that some shop owners maintain secret rooms behind thier premises to facilitate smoking and other illicit activities involving students.
• Under ‘Operation Safe Campus Zone,’ more than 6,000 shops have been raided so far with tobacco seizures worth lakhs of rupees; cases against shop owners have also been registered.
• A drug awareness campaign was conducted at K.V.S.R. Siddhartha College of Pharmaceutical Sciences as part of the action.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The raids conducted under ‘Operation Safe Campus Zone’ underscore a key challenge in enforcing public health laws such as COPTA 2003 amidst concerns over student exposure to banned substances. While seizing tobacco products is significant, lapses in regular monitoring seem evident from the widespread availability near educational institutions-a scenario criticized by senior officials during this operation.

enforcement agencies need sustained vigilance coupled with collaborative efforts involving police authorities, school staff, and community advocates to ensure compliance with anti-tobacco regulations. Awareness drives like those at Siddhartha College are essential but should be scaled across regions impacted by similar infringements to foster a broader understanding among young individuals about public health risks associated with substance abuse. Targeted interventions could help deter further violations while protecting vulnerable groups like students from harm.

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