K'taka govt bans spitting tobacco products at public places

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has banned spitting of tobacco products and paan at public places, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.

According to an order issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare on Friday, chewing and spitting tobacco or tobacco made products will be an offence under sections 188, 268, 269 and 270 of the IPC, relating to disobedience, public nuisance, negligent act causing the spread of dangerous diseases.

It will attract a jail term, it said. The order also said chewing and spitting tobacco products was an offence under section 4(2)A of the Karnataka Epidemic Ordinance-2020.

The state government pointed out that coronavirus was spreading rapidly in the country and spitting tobacco products in public places can cause the disease to spread further.

The order cited governments in Bihar and Jharkhand making spitting of tobacco at public places an offence under the Epidemic Act.