National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE-India) congratulates Kadamba Transport Corporation limited (KTCL) for abolishing surrogate and indirect advertisements displayed on the KTC buses.
We would like to applaud the efforts of Shri Tuekar hon MLA chairman of KTCL and Mr Sanjay Ghate, General Manager, KTCL for taking an much important step to ensure citizens of Goa especially youth and children are not influenced by the surrogate advertising of hazardous products like tobacco.
The advertisements depicted on KTCL buses amounted to a premeditated propaganda and tactic by display of paan masala/mouth freshener product which indirectly publicised tobacco products, it was also an violation of Section 5 of the COTPA 2003 act states that, no person shall take part in any advertisement which directly or indirectly suggests or promotes the use or consumption of cigarettes or any other tobacco products.
Taking cognisance of various violations done by such advertising including contraventions of KTCL’s own tender document norms which disallows morally repugnant advertising to be banned, NOTE( India) reminded the KTCL corporation time and again in the past.
Correspondence was also made to District Collectors and Cheif Medical Officer (CMO) of Non Communicable Diseases(NCD) Directorate of Health Services, elaborating the technical aspects and impact of such advertisements, institutions like the Goa State Commission for protection of child rights (GSPCR) also played an important role in ensuring the issue was laid to a logical end.
Ironically the buses transporting school children are having hoardings of Paan masala, this step by KTCL will ensure all such advertisements luring children to tobacco are removed with immediate effect.
Dr Shekhar Salkar
President
National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication