Shimla to Review Shop Licences Near Schools; Future Approvals Only After Physical Inspection

Shimla, June 19: Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap has directed a review of licences issued to shops located near educational institutions across Shimla district. The decision was taken during a meeting of the District Tobacco Control Coordination Committee.

The Deputy Commissioner said that licences granted to shops situated near schools will be scrutinized, and in future, no licence will be issued without a physical inspection report. He warned that officials granting licences without proper inspection would face strict action. School principals have also been empowered to inspect shops within a 100-yard radius of school premises and report violations involving the sale of tobacco products.

Highlighting the provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, Kashyap reiterated that the sale of cigarettes, bidis, and other tobacco products is strictly prohibited within 100 metres of schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. He also noted that Basantpur Block has witnessed a positive initiative, with shopkeepers voluntarily giving written assurances that they will not sell tobacco products.

The Health Department informed the meeting that tobacco-free hospital campus boxes have been installed in hospitals across the district, where visitors can dispose of tobacco products before entering. An NHM survey conducted on Shimla’s Mall Road found that 17.5 percent of shops located within school zones had licences to sell tobacco products, prompting the administration to strengthen enforcement measures.

The Deputy Commissioner urged citizens, traders, and institutions to strictly follow tobacco control laws and support efforts to create a healthier, tobacco-free society.