The Hindu Business Line : Health Ministry to push for ban on smoking scenes

While Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister, Mr P.R. Dasmunsi, had maintained that enforcing the ban is difficult, the Health Minister, Dr A. Ramadoss, today said: "We are going forward with the implementation, but the matter is now in the Court."

However, the Minister said that he would take up the matter with the I&B Ministry.

"My Ministry's initiative is in accordance with the Anti-Tobacco Act," he added.

Mr Dasmunsi said that efforts should be made to ensure that smoking is not glamourised and does not become a motivating factor for youngsters.

"We have written to filmmakers appealing them not to glamorise smoking in film but show it only if it is required by the character."

Mr Dasmunsi also said that portrayal of certain characters would be almost impossible in case of any such ban.

"Can Devdas be depicted without drinks or Churchill without cigar?"

While stating that enforcing such a ban was difficult, he said that this could be successful only if manufacturing of bidis and cigarettes and tobacco farming is stopped.

Reacting to Mr Dasmunsi's suggestion that smoking should not be glamourised, Dr Ramadoss said that such a provision is already present in the Indian Cinematography Act but it has not been implemented.

"If I had the authority to ban tobacco products, I would have done that."

Meanwhile, the Government has issued a draft notification to prohibit use of tobacco and alcohol in food items.

Once this comes into force, it would prohibit sale of tobacco-laced gutkha.

The notification is likely to be finalised in a few months, he added.

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