Srinagar, June 21: The Health Department Kashmir and the Directorate of School Education Kashmir will hold joint activities in schools to ensure compliance with Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (TOEFI) under the National Tobacco Programme for the first time.
In a communication, the School Education Department Kashmir directed Chief Education Officers to ensure that all educational institutions clearly mark a 100-yard zone outside their compounds to prohibit the sale of tobacco and related products.
They have been directed to organize suggestive activities in order to enhance TOEFI activities and encourage maximum participation in the events.
“Organize “No Tobacco Pledge” in all educational institutions on June 22 and designate a teacher /staff/student as tobacco monitor. Organize awareness programs on tobacco should be held and discuss it in morning assemblies besides hold rallies,” the order said.
The CEOs have been further instructed to hold enforcement drives within 100 yards of school and ensure self-declaration form of TOEFI guidelines.
The move comes following a communication sent by the Health Department, Kashmir on organizing different tobacco activities in schools and communities for awareness purpose.
The DHSK has asked Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, Block Medical Officers to carry out “no smoking pledge ceremony in all health institutions” on June 22 at 11 a.m.
“It is impressed upon all the CMOs of Kashmir division to monitor the said activity personally and submit the action taken report to this directorate,” it said.
It has also instructed them to conduct enforcement drives under the COTPA-2003 implementation of Tobacco Free Youth Initiative and TOFEI under the NTCP.
“You are requested to carry enforcement drives on weekly basis on every Wednesday till July 31, 2023 in your respective jurisdictions for monitoring the violations of COTPA-2003 in coordination with the administration, police and School Education Department for effective mechanism,” the DHSK order said.
Dr Mir Mushtaq, State Nodal Officer (Kashmir Division), National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) said all the employees will to take pledge in respect of Free Tobacco Youth Campaign on June 22 in all the hospitals.
“The campaign has been started picking up pace for the past few days and enforcement drives have been started and we are focussed on the educational institutions,” he said.
The Nodal Officer said that the education department has joined hands to further augment the campaign to generate public awareness about tobacco’s ill effects.
Mir said schools should display ‘Tobacco Free Educational Institution’ signage within the premises, and a “Tobacco Free Area” signage outside the institution.
The signage is supposed to be displayed at prominent places, such as on the boundary wall, the main entrance, the official notice boards among others, of an educational institution.
According to the norms, the sale of tobacco and related products is prohibited within 100 yards of an educational institution, the violation of which is a punishable offence.
Pertinently, the Health and Medical Education Department J&K under the NTEP has launched Tobacco Free Village Campaign, Tobacco Free Youth Campaign and Tobacco Free Educational Institutional initiative in J&K on World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2023.
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.
