Ahead of the coming Commonwealth Games, the NDMC will intensify its anti-tobacco drive under which those found smoking in public places will be fined and illegal street vendors selling such products removed.

The Health Department of the civic body has appointed nodal officers and organised a training programme on the process for imposing penalty on smokers at public places and no-smoking zones in areas under its jurisdiction.

For the implementation of various anti-smoking laws, NDMC headquarters and other public places have been notified as smoke-free zones with proper display boards and enforcement mechanism, the civic agency said.

"Illegal roadside vendors, who are selling tobacco products without any tehbazari (vending) rights in NDMC area, will be removed shortly," it said.

The New Delhi Municipal Council in association with the Health Department of Delhi Government had organised the training programme for nodal officers, which was also attended by R P Vashist of State Tobacco Control Society, Rana J Singh, Technical Advisor, International Union against TB and Lung Diseases and Gautam Manan, Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi Legal Service Authority.

They interacted with the nodal officers about tobacco or smoking control laws and their implementation strategies.

During this drive, the NDMC will also hold workshops for stakeholders in its areas like government and non-government organisations, institutions, restaurant or hotel associations, market traders associations, residence welfare associations, school and college representative and they will be trained to enforce anti-tobacco anti-smoking laws in their premises.