Chamba edu institutions to be made tobacco-free: DC

Chamba, May 6

Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan has started a campaign to make all educational institutions in the district tobacco-free within the next three months.

Devgan emphasised the importance of awareness activities and necessary steps under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) to inform individuals about the side effects of consuming tobacco.

To effectively implement the tobacco programme of Centre for Advancing Tobacco Control in HP (CATCH), Devgan directed officials of the Health and Education departments to make all educational institutions in the district tobacco-free within the next three months.

He emphasised the importance of ensuring that tobacco products were not sold within a 100-metre radius of any educational institution. He said action would be taken in case of violation of the rules outlined in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

Devgan said that there was a need for effective arrangements at the panchayat level. He added that an award of Rs 5 lakh would be provided whenever the government declared a tobacco-free panchayat in the district.