Sutta Na Mila: Now Just A Song in DU

Rashi Jamuar visits North Campus to figure out how the smoking g ban is doing there

Barely a month after the smoking ban came into effect in the North campus area of Delhi University; cigarettes are sharing a pride of place between the fingers of once harried smokers. They are rejoicing now. The ban, a joint initiative of DUSU, Delhi Govt. Anti smoking cell and the Delhi Police has, in all measures, fallen apart.

For one, the talk of a joint squad of the three bodies to monitor smoking in the North Campus area is far from being implemented. Instead, as Amrita Bahari, President, DUSU underlines, there will now a squad in each college, comprising students from that college itself. This, since it was not possible for the earlier squad to be present all times at all places. Also, CCTV monitors that were to be used for monitoring smoking on campus aren’t in place as yet. DCP (North region) Devesh Shrivastava says. “We are still working installing CCTVs; it will probably take a month or so.” Add to that the fact that-as TSI had reported in its February 7 issue-the CCTVs were not for the specific purpose of monitoring smoking in the first place.

Before the smoking ban came into effect. DUSU had promised a toll-free helpline that one could call up in case he / she found someone smoking on campus. That too is not in place.

In the midst of all these loopholes however, all hasn’t been lost. As DCP (North region) Devesh Shrivastava tells us, around six students and three vendors were challaned in the campus for smoking and selling cigarette within 200 meter radius from the college. Two of the SIX students were challaned for Rs. 100 and four were challaned for Rs 200.

Says Bahari in defense of the already-dormant drive, “We’re implementing existing laws instead of making a new one.” When the campaign kicked off, smoking was slated to be banned on the roads within the confines of the North Campus, However, as Bahari now says, ‘roads are not public property we can’t impose a ban on the roads. ‘

Finally, as expressed by Saurabh Yadav, CLC, “You can’t stop students like kids; if they are mature enough to vote and take important decisions, they are mature enough to choose whether or not to smoke, ” That seems to be the fate of the smoking ban in DU North campus.