07 May,2009 06:34 PM IST | | PTI
Hoteliers in the city suggested for a flying squad from the Municipal Corporation so that ban on smoking in their premises could be effectively enforced.
They also sought municipal corporation should help them with standardised sign boards to be put up outside their premises on the ban with their stamp, as they find it difficult to convince the trouble making customers who come at night.
These were discussed during the ongoing interactive workshop with the experts from Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), civic body and the NGO Healis Seskaria Institute of Public Health.
Dr Surendra Sastri preventive oncologist of TMH said that the idea of the workshop was to tell the restaurant and pub owners that smoke-free laws can be enforced and that they will not cause economic losses.
"We tell them that smoke-free environment is the right of the owners and employees and they have whole-heartedly welcomed it," Sastri said.
The hoteliers said by allowing smoking inside the hotels has helped them in more than one ways including reduction in cost in the maintenance of air-conditioners.
Sastri said the hotel owners were ready to follow the rules and informing about the trouble making customers so that the flying squad could come and take appropriate action.
According to Dr Pranita Tipre, assistant health officer, in-charge of smoke-free Mumbai cell, the workshop will continue till the end of this month. Experts along with the Municipal corporation health officials are able to bring in the restaurant owners and pub owners for the workshop through the association of Hotel and REst Owners (AHAR), Sastri said adding "we are getting good response."
One of the hotel owners, a non-smoker, said, after the ban, he was able to sit for a longer period inside his hotel and another one said his hotel became neater and the sofas and curtains do not have burn holes after ban on smoking in hotels.
"We welcome the ban but the civic body should fully cooperate with us," they told the workshop.
