MARGAO: The South Goa District Task Force Committee has set March 31 as the time-frame to make the entire district “smoke free district”.

District Collector, N D Agrawal said the deadline set by the Task Force Committee can be achieved with the cooperation and participating of citizens from the district. “When we mean smoke free district, it implies a stop to smoking in public places”, he said. In this respect, the Task Force constituted under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), will hold series of exhibitions at the taluka level on February 22 from 9 am to 6 pm.