Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has sought help from his counterpart in Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa to see that smuggling of tobacco products from either state does not take place.
On May 25 this year, the Kerala government imposed a complete ban on sale and consumption of tobacco products such as gutka and paan masala.
The authorities have been conducting raids to see if shops sell them and of late have found that these products are being smuggled from Tamil Nadu.
"I would like to request your good self to use your significant influence and direct your enforcement agencies to ensure that the banned tobacco products are not smuggled into Kerala. Let`s fight this menace together as this is taking away precious life of our younger generations," reads Chandy`s letter to Jayalalithaa.
The violators would serve a jail term from six months up to six years or be fined up to Rs.10 lakh.
According to a recent study conducted in the state, 10.7 percent of the adults consume tobacco products.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.