COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore corporation has formed flying squads to inspect school premises as part of the tobacco control initiative in the city. The inspections by flying squads that began on June 10 have so far covered 59 corporation schools. Through these inspections, the trade licences of about 16 shops running within 100 metre of school premises have been cancelled.The city corporation has formed five flying squads, one for each zone. The team comprises a medical officer and a health inspector and includes Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram staffers.City health officer Dr V C Subash Gandhi, “The flying squad intends to randomly inspect students, their belongings and the school premises to check if there is the use of tobacco products. Benches, desks, school bags and restrooms will be checked to inspect if there is any evidence. An intensive check is carried out among students from classes VII to XII. In the last 10 days, there has been no evidence found.” “For effective enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), we have proposed a joint team comprising police and food safety officers. The joint team who will accompany these corporation flying squads during the inspection,” Gandhi said.As part of this initiative, yellow markings were used to designate tobacco free zones for 100 meters at eight corporation schools, which will be further extended to other schools as well.The CHO added, “We are now in discussion with the district administration to extend this inspection to private schools as well. There are over 200 private schools in the city limits.
