New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) An anti-tobacco advocacy group, raising concern over display of tobacco product advertisements in Delhi Metro, has asked the DMRC chief to take them off.

Indirect/surrogate advertisements of tobacco products like 'Chaini Chaini', 'Cool Lip', 'Dilbag', 'Rajdarbar' have been displayed at many prominent and most busy metro stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat, said NGO Health Related Information Dissemination Among Youth (HRIDAY) in a letter Friday to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) head Mangu Singh.

Feeder buses around several Delhi metro stations have been seen completely painted with tobacco advertisements, it added.

The voluntary organisation expressed concern at over 90 percent of oral cancer cases in the Indian population being attributed to consumption of gutka or smokeless tobacco.

The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (2003) prohibits any form of direct or indirect advertisement of tobacco products.

A total of 20 advertisements were reported at various metro stations. With a total footfall of about 15 lakh passengers, it is imperative that DMRC initiate immediate steps to order removal of all such advertisements and penalise the violators, the letter said.

The photographs of tobacco advertisements at metro stations have also been attached with the letter.

We would be happy to assist DMRC in disseminating tobacco control messages at metro stations and trains, the letter concluded.