Gold Flake, an ITC cigarette brand, is using pictures of Kashmir’s locales and Shikaras in famed Dal Lake on its cigarette packets to boost sales. The move has fumed stakeholders here who seek action against the company.
The new packing of Gold Flake is being marketed with theme “My Kashmir My Paradise” showing Shikara in Dal lake and pictures of Tulip garden on the outer covering.The move by the company has left stakeholders here fuming who demand legal action against the makers of the cigarette brand for abusing Kashmir name.
“It is defaming Kashmir and our tourism sector. It would give notion outside that Kashmir is promoting tobacco use,” President Travel Agents Society of Kashmir, Muhammad Ibrahim Siah said.
Chief spokesperson, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation, Hilal Ahmad Mandoo stated that JK government should take legal action against the company for misusing the name Kashmir for their business purposes.
Columnist, Arjimand Hussain Talib posted on social media “This ‘My Kashmir My Paradise’ ad on a leading cigarette brand is preposterous! If the idea is to promote Kashmir tourism through cigarette smoking. It is silly. If it is to promote cigarette smoking through Kashmir loves it is simply stupid.”
Stakeholders wonder why the state government has failed to take cognizance of Kashmir being used to promote a cigarette brand.
The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 or COTPA is an Act of Parliament of India enacted in 2003 to prohibit advertisement and regulation of tobacco business in India.
“Advertisement of tobacco products including cigarettes is prohibited. No person shall participate in advertisement of tobacco product, or allow a medium of publication to be used for advertisement of tobacco products,” the Act reads.
It adds that surrogate advertisement is prohibited as well under the Act.
Cigarette packets are required to carry pictorial warnings of a skull or scorpion or certain prescribed pictorial warnings along with the text SMOKING KILLS and TOBACCO CAUSES MOUTH CANCER in both Hindi and English.
The Act also gives power to any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector or any officer of State Food or Drug Administration or any other officer, holding the equivalent rank being not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police for search and seizure of premises where tobacco products are produced, stored or sold, if he suspects that the provision of the Act has been violated.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asghar Samoon stated that they would look into the matter.
Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, Baseer Khan said that they are concerned only with taxation part. “It would be better to get details from District administration of Kathua.”
When contacted a senior official in Kathua district administration, he feigned ignorance and stated that they could stop import of the cigarette brand only if the state government directs them to do so.
