Siddharthanagar springs into action to enforce tobacco ban

Siddharthanagar Municipality Office, in Bhairahawa, Rupandehi district, has moved into action to implement its decision to ban the sale and distribution of tobacco products within the city area.

Before springing into action, the Office had issued a 35-day notice informing the locals and shop owners to stop distributing and selling tobacco-related products in the major city areas.

The municipality has now started confiscating tobacco products from professional institutions, small dealers, and shops.

Mayor Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan said that the decision was being implemented by deploying municipal employees at various places.

"We had previously issued a notice banning the sale of gutkha and other tobacco products, but from Thursday, we have started confiscating them after they were found to be still selling and distributing them," Mayor Khan said.

"I believe that no businessman will sell tobacco products in the city area," he said. Khan requested the residents to comply with the decision of the city.

The meeting of the municipal executive committee decided to ban the sale and distribution of gutkha tobacco like other readymade tobaccos, concluding that the consumption of such products is not only affecting public health, but garbage coming out of them is also tarnishing the beauty of the city.

The office issued the 35-day notice on December 19.

Mayor Khan said that even after the expiry of the period of a public notice, the sale and distribution of the products in the city area was not stopped and so the decision was being forcefully implemented.

"Our aim is to make Siddharthanagar a clean, green, and eco-friendly city", he said.

“Therefore, banning the sale and distribution of gutkha-type tobacco products is made mandatory here."

During the implementation of the decision, such products being sold and distributed in the city were seized and destroyed in the presence of the Armed Police, Nepal Police, locals, and public representatives, said Nava Raj Paudyal, the chief administrative officer of the municipality.

Meanwhile, after the ban came into force, some small businessmen have expressed their concerns that they will be forced out of business.