Sensitise youth in schools, colleges about ill-effects of tobacco use: Chamba DC

Campaigns should be launched in technical and paramedical institutions, besides schools and colleges to sensitise the youth about the harmful effects of tobacco use, said Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal here today.

He chaired a meeting on the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 being conducted by the Chamba police under the aegis of the Health Department and the Saksham Campaign.

Repaswal directed all officials concerned to intensify awareness and outreach activities for the effective prevention of tobacco consumption. To ensure the campaign objectives are achieved, he instructed Block Development Officers to implement various parameters of the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign in at least 10 gram panchayats. He told them to ensure that the sale of tobacco products was strictly prohibited in properties or shops owned by gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads.

The DC also called for the formation of village-level committees and suggested exploring the possibility of encouraging private events to adopt tobacco and drug-free themes. He instructed the officials that the process of issuing tobacco vendor licences be expedited through panchayat secretaries.

SP Abhishek Yadav said that 458 violators had been challaned and fines amounting to Rs 44,650 had been collected from them under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003. He briefed the meeting about various activities being carried out under the Saksham Campaign to curb drug abuse.

Himachal Tribune