60-day-long tobacco-free youth campaign concludes in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 01: The Tobacco Youth Campaign, a two-month-long initiative launched by the Union Health Ministry in May concluded on Tuesday.
During the campaign, the health department Kashmir achieved significant results, generating revenue of Rs 1,47,046.
The Tobacco Free Youth Campaign was launched by Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Bhupinder Kumar on World No Tobacco Day on May 31 under the banner of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
Over the past two months, the health dept. conducted a number of activities in hospitals, schools, villages besides conducted Nukkad Natak contests aimed to end tobacco use.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division), National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), said the department under the campaign conducted many activities in the valley.
“Many activities were taken up. Some 2209 people were challaned for Section 4 of COTPA and an amount of Rs 1,47,046 was generated during enforcement drives from violators,” he said.
He also said a total of 73 challans were done for Section 5 of COTPA and action was initiated in 59 cases. Similarly, under Section 6(b) of COTPA, 54 challans were conducted and the revenue generated was Rs 8,730.
Mir said the main focus of the campaign was on implementation of Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) and COTPA 2003 in schools across the valley for which the School Education Department was involved.
“For Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (TOFEI) implementation, a total number of 10,741 schools were covered. A total of 5,06,860 no tobacco pledges were taken,” he said.
As per the figures, in two months, at least 2,743 school rallies were conducted 2,833 school awareness activities (like debates, slogans and posters) were held to spread awareness.
As part of IEC activities, 1,098 awareness rallies were taken out, 266 public notices were issued, 302 social media campaigns were held and 73 TV/radio programs were conducted.
He said under tobacco-free village monitoring 420 Gram Sabha meetings for sensitization purposes were held and 184 awareness campaigns such as Miking, Nukad Natak etc, were held.
The Nodal Officer said tobacco control can be achieved by awareness against use of tobacco and the implementation of COTPA and ToFEI around educational institutions. Notably, during the campaign University of Kashmir was also declared tobacco-free.
As the campaign was going, on July 03 the activities carried out under the Govt. of India’s Tobacco Free Youth Campaign in Kashmir made it among the best performing States in the country as per the review of the Union Health Ministry.
The campaign was monitored by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India. Since the campaign was launched, every week the ministry would come up with the performance of various States
The State Nodal Officer said although the campaign has concluded, the activities under COTPA will continue.
“We are very thankful to the Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Bhupinder Kumar, Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, VC University of Kashmir, Dr Nelofar Khan, Director School Education, Dr Tasaduk Hussain, Education Department, Deputy Commissioners and other line departments including Police, who actively supported the campaign,” he said.
As per the National Health Survey, J&K is sixth highest in the country after North Eastern States i.e., Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram in terms of tobacco consumption.
As per the NHS figures, the prevalence of tobacco in Kashmir includes Kupwara 56 percent, Shopian 52 percent, Anantnag and Bandipora 49 percent, Budgam 48, Pulwama 44, Ganderbal 42, Baramulla and Kulgam 41 percent and Srinagar 38 percent.
Tobacco use is associated with accelerated mortality among adults, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.