Tobacco row: Centre working out details on increasing pictorial warning

New Delhi: Government on Tuesday said it is working out details for increasing the size of pictorial warning on tobacco products from the present 40-85% after the date for its implantation was "extended", an issue which sparked a major row. "Government is working on increasing the size of the pictorial warning from 40 to 85% as the date for its implementation has been extended. But nothing can be said on its ban as it is a policy matter," said Health Secretary BP Sharma after inaugurating a health screening camp on the occasion of World Health Day.

The Centre had stayed the decision to increase the size of pictorial warnings on tobacco products, which was to come into effect from April 1, after a parliamentary panel, looking into the guidelines for sale of tobacco, said that it needs more time to deliberate on the issue. Comments of some of the members of the panel including BJP MPs Shyam Charan Gupta, a beedi baron, and Dilip Gandhi, that there was no Indian scientific evidence that links smoking with cancer had triggered outrage.

Speaking on the occasion, Sharma urged people to make food safety a priority. "It is time we should address the issue of food safety which is a growing public health concern," he said. He also stressed on developing healthy eating habits.

"Street food is very common for all of us. But we should be sure whatever we are eating is healthy," he said.

The objective of WHO this year is to drive collective government and public action by taking into consideration all sectors and departments like agriculture, health, education and trade.