Punjab government today directed authorities to enforce Cotpa (Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003) in their respective districts strictly.
"Instructions have been issued to the districts to accelerate the surveillance in every nook and corner of the district to nab the offenders," an official spokesman said here.
The district administrations have been given mandate to book such lawbreakers and take punitive action at the spot, he said.
The district administration has been instructed to take severe punitive action against the offenders.
He said under section 4 of the Cotpa Act, a person can be fined up to Rs 200 for the crime. Similarly, under section 5 of the Act advertising of the Tobacco product has been prohibited.
He said that for first such crime the offender can be sentenced to 2 years jail term or a fine of Rs 1,000 and for committing the crime second time sentence of 5 years and fine of Rs 5,000 can be slapped on the law breaker.
