CHRONICLE 校花校草看过来！19页
THE NANYANG
JA NUA RY 28 , 20 0 9 | V OL 15 NO 7 | IS SN NO 0 218 -7310 | W W W. N T U. EDU. S G / C HRONIC L E
Smokers, boxed in XIN QIANHUI KAREN SMOKERS will have less space to puff in the university as it moves towards being a smoke-free campus. From January 19th, yellow boxes have been marked out on the North and South Spine rooftops as designated smoking areas. Smokers can also go to open-air car parks for a puff, as long as they are not within 5m of building entrances and exits. This move is in line with the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) recently extended smoking ban that came into effect on January 1st. The ban expands smoke-free areas to include all indoor public places and outdoor public facilities such as walkways, covered car parks and lift lobbies. Lucas Seah, 21, a year-one student from Nanyang Business School, is glad that enclosed areas such as stairwells will no longer reek of cigarettes. While he thinks the situation was never too serious to start with, he lauded the ban nevertheless. “It will create a cleaner and healthier environment for non-smokers like myself,” he said. Increasing NTU’s smoke-free areas “to well above 95%” is the aim, said Dr Lee Kien Wah, Chief Health and Safety Officer, the main co-coordinator of the new regulations. The smoking ban will be enforced by Campus Security Officers, who may be dressed in uniform or plain clothes. They will conduct random patrols at common smoking areas, according to Mr Ong Su Chuan, Assistant Director of the Campus Security Division, who is in charge of Campus Security Operations. Surveillance cameras will help identify common smoking areas. When caught, a smoker will fi rst be advised to stop smoking. If the individual persists and is caught a second time, a written advice will be issued. Any individual who repeatedly flouts the regulation will be referred to NEA for appropriate action,
NEED A PUFF?: Smokers, please stand behind the yellow line. PHOTO | IRWIN TAN
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including a fine of up to $1,000, according to Dr Lee. While NTU declares itself as a smokefree campus, Mr Ong said they have to be realistic and not deny the fact that there are smokers here. “Rather than make them hide in corners where authorities are unaware of, we would rather provide them with proper places that have ventilation,” he said. “If we don’t provide proper smoking areas, they may litter or just throw their cigarette butts in the dustbins… It’s a fire hazard.” Cedric Sim, a second-year School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering student said: “People will not quit smoking because of this.” The 22-year-old smoker hoped for more yellow boxes so that it will be more convenient to fi nd a spot for a puff. He smokes one pack a week. Social smokers such as Rajaram, 20, have no problems with going to designated areas to smoke. “Chain smokers are probably the most inconvenienced,” said the first-year student from the School of Biological Sciences. A non-smoker, Liew Ken Yee, who is a second year student for School of Humanities and Social Sciences, pointed out that the new rule seems to segregate smokers from the non-smokers. “I don’t really like the idea, separating people is never a good option,” said the 22year-old. The officers are also expected to put up no-smoking signs in the smoke-free areas progressively. Ashtrays on top of the dustbins will also be removed. T he Ca mpus Sec u r it y Div ision is considering setting up a database system to keep track of offenders. However, no concrete plans are in place yet, said Mr Ong. Nevertheless, the latest regulations are already making an impact on some smokers. Having to smoke in marked out boxes is akin to being in “army all over again,” said 23year-old smoker Muhd Iskandar, a secondyear student from School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
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