PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Dehradun Chief Development Officer (CDO) Abhinav Shah launched the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 3.0 under the National Tobacco Control Programme here on Friday.
Officials said that as in past years, this year’s campaign will involve coordination with relevant stakeholder departments and will follow established guidelines for organising the campaign over a period of two months. The authorities will hold public awareness programmes in the district about the harmful effects of tobacco at the block level, increase social media awareness activities, designate 30 villages as tobacco-free, coordinate with district-level office heads to effectively implement the COTPA Act 2003, and organise training and sensitisation programmes with stakeholder departments involved in the tobacco control campaign, officials said.
Shah directed the Labour department to assist in proceedings under sections five and seven of the COTPA Act, while officials from the Education department were tasked with declaring educational institutions tobacco-free in accordance with the Tobacco-Free educational institution guidelines.
He also instructed the Police department to enforce fines and challans against violators of the COTPA Act as part of this campaign. Additionally, he called for the Municipal Corporation of Rishikesh to assist in declaring the pilgrimage city of Rishikesh smoke-free. The Excise department was told to take action against liquor bars, sales outlets and government canteens operating in violation of the COTPA Act 2003.
