PANAJI:

Goa government

has asked all shops and establishments and eating outlets not to sell

tobacco

products in any form.

The establishments have been directed "not to store or sell tobacco products in the form of cigarettes, cigars, biddies, gutka, hukkah, etc" failing which they would be "dealth with severely as per the law", an official statement said.

For all the new premises,

not to sell tobacco products would be a condition while issuing license

the

state government

has directed all the government agencies namely the municipalities, panchayats, health services/health centres, tourism and food and drugs administration to instruct all their subordinate Offices under their control, who are involved in the issue of NOC/approvals/licences for eating outlets in the State, to primarily incorporate a specific conditions, for NOC/approvals/licences "that the eating houses or establishments shall not keep or sell or provide any tobacco or tobacco related products"

The official statement also said that the government has also directed these agencies to have their independent mechanism of verifying the compliances. The police department is also asked to conduct special surveillances drives especially during late evening for detection of operation of such hukkah parlours/bars and book the offenders under the law.

The instructions are issued in view of an order of the Bombay bench of the high court of Bombay in July last. Dr

Shekhar Salkar

, president of NOTE has long been demanding ban on cigarettes and other tobacco products.