Demands anti-tobacco group after Ajay was found smoking at a public place in Goa

An anti-smoking organisation has asked for action against Ajay Devgn who was caught lighting up in a public place in Goa where he is shooting for Golmaal 3. The actor has incurred the wrath of the National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) after his snapshots appeared in the local media showing him puffing away. Goa is particularly strict about the ban on smoking in public places.

Breaking the law
On Wednesday, NOTE asked the health authorities to impose a heavy fine on Kajol's hubby for flouting the 'no-smoking in public' rule. They feel he is a habitual offender, and have therefore demanded imprisonment too.

In a complaint to the state tobacco control cell and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NOTE general secretary Shekhar Salkar has stated that strict action be taken against Devgn as he was becoming a habitual offender. He was fined earlier a while back for smoking in public in Chandigarh.

"This being his second violation, we feel that the punishment given to such types of habitual law breakers is too meagre. We feel that the penalty under Section 4 of the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COPTA) for both one who violates the law and one who allows violating the law should be increased, " Salkar has said.

"Fine for the first offence should be Rs 500, for the second it should be raised to Rs 5, 000 and for the third offence an imprisonment for a period of six months, in addition to a fine of Rs 5, 000 should be imposed, " Salkar added.

No reply
Devgn did not want to comment on the issue. In the past NOTE has dragged Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to court for directly or indirectly promoting smoking.

Arshad did it and apologised
Last month, while shooting for Golmaal 3, Arshad Warsi was found smoking at the Chowgule College campus in Madgaon, Goa. A complaint was registered against him. As reported 'Golmaal smokers NOTE-d' (Hitlist, April 29), the actor was smoking while signing autographs for the students. He later apologised and admitted his mistake stating that he would be careful in the future.