Health and I&B Ministries differ on smoking ban

The Health and I&B Ministries are at loggerheads on the banning of smoking in TV serials and films. At a public function last week Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the ban takes effect from October 2.

But reports say that the I&B Ministry has written two letters to the Health Ministry in the last fortnight, calling the ban irrational. It says the Health Ministry has misinterpreted the World Health Organisation report, on which the ban is based.

The Health Ministry has also been criticised of ignoring suggestions submitted during a workshop in July. But a senior Health Ministry official told CNBC-TV18, that further consultation would be needed on the recommendations.

The film and TV industry is yet to hear from the government on this issue. Film Director Madhur Bhandarkar currently working on a movie, based on the corporate world, admits to including many smoking scenes. But he's hoping for an amicable solution.

Bhandarkar said, "We'll put caption at the beginning of the film, just like cigarette packs, same apply to the film. In the beginning we can put a caption, that 'cigarette smoking is injurious to health'."

Sources say the I&B Ministry is keen to refer the issue to a committee of secretaries, and is in talks with the Law Ministry. So while the ban hasn't gone up in smoke yet, there's still a haze around it.