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Health dept clueless on smoking ban in pubs  

Come October 2 this year, and the bartender or the waiter won't come rushing with a lighter as soon as you put the cigarette between your lips while sitting in a pub or a restaurant. In May this year, the Union health ministry declared that the Centre would strictly enforce the ban on smoking in public places from October 2.

The announcement came after the existing law, brought out two-and-a-half years ago was modified to book offenders. Till now, the law has only been on paper.

The state health department, however, has no clue about the deadline. "We have not received any official letter from the Centre but if such a rule is to be enforced, the department would go whole hog for its effective implementation," health secretary Deepak Kumar said.

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