New Delhi: The government is planning to set up a regulatory authority for effective implementation of anti-tobacco laws. This is because despite an exiting ban on smoking in public places, smokers are being seen all public places including restaurants, hotels and theatres.

The Health Ministry is setting up a National Tobacco Regulatory Body under the 11th five-year plan to enforce the anti-tobacco Act strictly. The regulatory body will be an independent one and will coordinate between states and the industry said Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

He said a stringent enforcement of the Act was necessary because 40 per cent of the country's health problem occur due to tobacco.

Ramadoss said a survey showed that in the Bollywood movies of the 1950s, fifty per cent of heroes smoked, which grew to 71 per cent in the 1990s and 86 per cent currently.

Ramadoss also said he was concerned about passive smoking at workplaces.

The minister said he has written to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to take action against companies who are showing surrogate advertisements of tobacco and liquor.