Smoking, tobacco products banned at Dwaraka Tirumala

Dwaraka Tirumala(Eluru District): Officials of Endowments department and Eluru district administration have imposed a ban on smoking cigarettes and tobacco products at Dwaraka Tirumala temple. Any violation will be seriously viewed and a heavy fine will be imposed on them. Devotees will not be permitted to carry any kind of cigarettes and tobacco products inside the temple.

Already Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri banned tobacco products and strictly implementing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 and inspecting the devotees before permitting them in the queues. Recently, District Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh conducted a high level meeting on the issue of tobacco products and directed the temple authorities to take action against those, who sell and use tobacco products.

Speaking to The Hans India, Temple Executive Officer Vendra Trinatha Rao said that as per the directives of District Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh, they banned the use of tobacco products including smoking at the Devasthanam. He said that smoking is not allowed in the temple premises and that the temple has been declared as a tobacco-free zone.

Trinahta Rao warned that severe punishment will be given to those, who violate the rule. He said that they are creating awareness among the devotees about the ban on smoking in the temple premises. He said that they were got orders to register cases against devotees or employees, if they violate the rules.