Suffocated by local office-goers’ cigarette fumes every single day, residents of Indravadan CHS forced to declare area outside building ‘no-smoking zone’
Residents pose at the gates of the society on Sunday. PICS/ATUL KAMBLE
Sickened by the constant reek of cigarette smoke wafting into their homes, residents of Indravadan Society in Dadar West have declared the area beyond a compound wall a no-smoking zone. Owing to the presence of several nearby offices and a newly constructed mall, smokers gather outside the society to light up, invariably exposing everyone in their immediate surroundings to second-hand smoke, resulting in health issues over the past two years, according to residents.
Smokers light up on Padmabai Thakkar Road, which lies outside the society. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The society, located on Padmabai Thakkar Road, has 150 flats and around 750 residents. Members said that employees from the nearby mall and office spaces frequent the area specifically to smoke cigarettes. The entire lane has turned into a khau galli of sorts, they said.
‘No one listens’
Archana Joshi, secretary of Indravadan Society, said, “Due to the new mall in the area, people frequently smoke right outside our gate. We’ve requested many of them not to smoke here, but no one listens. We are fed up, so we painted our entire boundary wall with ‘no-smoking zone’ warnings. This is a serious issue, and we don’t want to take any risks. We are asking people to refrain from smoking outside our premises.”
Society member Ashish Bapat added, “The smell of cigarette smoke enters our homes daily, and we are forced to keep our windows shut. The situation is even worse at night. Many children live in our society, and this is affecting their health and influencing their mindset negatively. Smoking is injurious to health. This must be stopped. The BMC [Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation] and police should step in and help us.”
A vagrant lights up outside the society. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Another resident, Amit Bansode, said, “People smoke outside the society from morning till late at night. We’ve instructed our security guards not to allow anyone to loiter or smoke near the gates.” Prasad Parasnis, a committee member, explained, “We were compelled to paint ‘no-smoking zone’ on our walls instead of decorative designs. Many residents here suffer from lung disease and heart issues. We don’t want to take any risks. People should smoke only in designated smoking zones.”
A smoker ignores a no-smoking sign on the compound wall of Indravadan Co-operative Housing Society in Dadar West. PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
‘Need a solution’
Another member, Satish Kotian, said, “We will soon file a formal complaint with the BMC and police after conducting a society meeting. We want a permanent solution to this problem.” Committee member Ranjan Bagwe added, “Smokers are blocking the entire footpath. They come here for tea and a cigarette. Just outside our society gate, there’s a gas pipeline. People sit directly on it and smoke, which is extremely dangerous. The BMC and police must take this seriously and start fining people smoking in the area.”
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