New Delhi: The government has given the go-ahead for the implementation of pictorial warnings on cigarette and beedi packets ending a long-drawn debate on its feasibility.
The pictorial warnings could be either a scorpion or lungs, a Group of Ministers, convened to decide on carrying pictorial warnings, decided in its conclusive meeting on Tuesday.
"Pictorial warnings are coming and what pictures would be carried would be decided by the Chairman of the GoM in a couple of days," Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said.
The total coverage area for the picture would be either 30 per cent or 40 per cent of the pack. Earlier, 50 per cent of the total packet was to be covered by the pictorial warnings.
"The size, colour and what picture is to be carried would be decided by the end of this week by the Chairperson of the Group of Ministers," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said after the meeting.
The project will be implemented in two phases. One phase would be in the coming year and after seeing the results of the first year, the campaign in the second phase will be decided.
Ramadoss said the Labour Ministry has been entrusted with the task of going ahead with exploring an alternate pattern for the workers in the beedi industry.
Asked about the timeframe for the implementation of the warnings, he said, "We will give a little time to the industry" after which a deadline would be set.
(With agency inputs)
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