India: Tobacco Control in Educational Institutions

Source from:  Rising Kashmir  04/19/2013

Voluntary Health Association of India and Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health Association in collaboration with Directorate of School education Kashmir organized a sensitization program for CEOs of Kashmir valley and ZEOs of central Kashmir districts at S P Higher Secondary School Srinagar.

The program was chaired by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Shailender kumar IAS who was also invited as the chief guest. Director school education Kashmir Mohdummad Shafi Rather and District Development Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah   were the guests of Honour.
 While welcoming the dignitaries, guests and participants A.M.Mir (Retd.), Executive Director JKVHADA said that the program is aiming to give anti tobacco drive an impetus at educational institutions and similar establishment levels.

 He said that keeping in view the recent developments of declaring Srinagar and Budgam smoke free districts and also the banning of chewable tobacco products including its manufacture, sale, storage , transportation, display and distribution of guthka name with immediate effect as per SRO 68 dated 6th March 2013,

"It is high time to sensitize the administrators of educational institutions to enforce the provisions of Tobacco Contro Act (COTPA)-2003 and to begin with the systematic reporting of violations of section 6 (a) and (b)," said Mir.

He said that our efforts are afoot in declaring the more districts namely Baramulla, Pulwama, Jammu and Reasi smoke free by the end of May 2013.

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir in his inaugural address said that one of the important tasks in Tobacco Control Measures is to bring a positive change by limiting and curbing its usage in public interest.

In order to curb tobacco menace among young and vulnerable population in the state, the administrators of educational institutions have a great role to play.

He appreciated the role played by JKVHA at national level and its state partner JKVHADA in assisting the law enforcing authorities in implementation of the Tobacco Control Act.

The other speakers who spoke on the occasion were Neerja Mattoo, Seema Gupta of VHAI, Dr, B.S Dutta consultant Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar, Shoba John, Shabir Ahmad Lone Food safety officer Srinagar and Dr. Abdul Majid HOD Community Medicines SKIMS Srinagar and the topics discussed by the resource persons were Hazards of Tobacco use, National and International perspective on tobacco control, Need to enforce tobacco control   laws in educational institutions, enforcement mechanism of COTPA-2003 and challan system.

The Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Director Education Kashmir and Chief Post Master J&K Circle John Samuel also addressed the participating officers of education department and ensured their full support for awareness generation on tobacco control laws and enforcement system to curb the menace of tobacco consumption in public places.

The vote of thanks was presented by Prof. G.M. Dar HOD Disaster Management IMPA. Enditem