Srinagar, July 26: To propagate the message of a tobacco-free community, the Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University (KU), Prof. Nilofer Khan flagged-off a walkathon here within the main campus.
The ‘Walkathon – Tobacco Free Youth Campaign’ was organised by the University Health Centre and Department of Social Work, KU in collaboration with the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir.
While appreciating the efforts of sensitizing the masses about a tobacco-free society she said the change has to come from the youth as they are the agents of change.
“If our youth take up this task on their shoulders, they can easily eradicate this menace from our society,” she said.
She further said the university understands its societal responsibility and its role towards sensitising masses about the social menaces like smoking and drug abuse prevalent in our society.
“We have to work on such social issues by connecting directly with the community at the grassroots level to sensitise them about the ill-effects of tobacco and drug abuse,” she maintained.
Declaring the main campus and all the satellite campuses as ‘tobacco free’, the vice chancellor impressed upon all the employees, faculty, scholars, students, visitors and shopkeepers not to use any tobacco-related products within the premises of the main and the satellite campuses of the university. A circular in this regard has already been shared with the public.
Registrar, University of Kashmir, Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir stressed on making concerted efforts in spreading the message and said such events are always a powerful tool for social change.
“We should respect each other while propagating the message and only then we will be able to curb the menace,” he said.
He said the repercussion of smoking are both economical as well as moral and that we should collaborate on highlighting such social evils.
While thanking the university for organising the rally, Assistant Director, Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, Dr. Shabina Gulshan said that people should know about the ill-effects of tobacco (smoking and chewing) and stressed on taking health very seriously as using tobacco and tobacco-related products can result in fatal
A signature campaign was also held during the event whereby the participants signed a ‘No Smoking Pledge’. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nilofer Khan, Registrar, Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir, various functionaries of the university, and other participants also signed the pledge.
Head Department of Social Work, Dr. Shazia Manzoor; KU joint registrars, Nodal Officer, Tobacco Control Cell, Dr. Mir Mushtaq, State Coordinator & Dr. Mohammad Nasir from the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir; Coordinator University, Health Centre, Dr. Khalid Nazir; Medical Officers, Dr. Suraya, Dr. Azhar besides various KU officials, faculty, scholars and students from various departments and University Model School participated in the walkathon.
