Shimla administration to strictly anti-tobacco measures at educational institutions
In the first phase, all the colleges in Shimla city will be made tobacco free, with speeches and debate competitions being organised to raise awareness on the topic across campuses
Intensifying the fight against drug addiction, Shimla district administration has begun work towards making the educational institutes tobacco free.
The district coordination committee in its latest meeting on tobacco control, chaired by deputy commissioner (DC) Anupam Kashyap, announced that schools, colleges and other educational institutions across the district will be made tobacco free.
In the first phase, all the colleges in Shimla city will be made tobacco free, with speeches and debate competitions being organised to raise awareness on the topic across campuses.
The DC also launched the signature “Together India Says No to Tobacco and Drugs” campaign, which is set to involve the locals in promoting awareness.
As part of the latest efforts, educational institutions will be asked to have a provision ensuring no use of tobacco on campus. They will also have to ensure that tobacco products are not being sold within a radius of 100 yards of the institution.
An educational institute, to be deemed tobacco free, should have a board reading “smoking, tobacco free zone” installed at specific places (including the entrance) on campus with the name, designation and phone number of the nodal officer of the institution.
The in-charge of the educational institution will have to appoint himself or any teacher as the nodal officer (tobacco monitor) for tobacco control. Cigarettes, bidi pieces, totes or packets of edible tobacco etc. should not be found within the boundary of the educational institution. Posters should also be installed at appropriate places in the educational institution to provide information about the harm caused by tobacco.
According to the guidelines, events promoting tobacco control, such as a rally, speech competition, painting competition or seminar etc., should also be organised at the institution at least once in every six months.
Notably, police under “Operation Clean: The Path of Drug Free Shimla” have also arrested 512 peddlers since January 2024. Police have also devised the module of “intensive investigation”, wherein minute details are gathered about all associates connected with the peddlers or in the supply chain and action is taken against them.
The Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 2.0 is also being run by the Union ministry of health. “The objective of this campaign is to motivate the youth to avoid tobacco consumption and quit it. The duration of this campaign is 60 days,” programme officer Rakhi Sharma said.
Tobacco free panchayats
to be honoured, says DC
The DC, meanwhile, said the panchayats within the district that manage to become tobacco free will also be honoured. He appealed to the public representatives of the district to join in the district administration’s efforts to ensure positive results.
Notably, governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has on multiple occasions stressed upon the role that social organisations and panchayats can play in making the state drugs free.