To sensitize students as well as other stakeholders regarding the ill effects of tobacco consumption and smoking, a no-smoking pledge ceremony is being held across all health institutions and educational institutions of Kashmir division.
The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir and Directorate of School Education Department have issued a circular in this regard to hold no smoking pledge ceremonies.
DHSK has directed, all the Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, and Block Medical Officers to carry out ‘No Smoking Pledge Ceremony’ in all the health intuitions of their respective jurisdiction on 22nd June-2023 at 12:00 am.
“All the Chief Medical Officers of Kashmir division are directed to monitor the said activity personally and submit the action taken report to this directorate on the same day,” the order reads.
Meanwhile, in a separate circular DSEK has directed all chief Education officers to enhance TOFEL activities and to encourage maximum participation in the events. “Conduct No Tobacco Pledge in all Educational institutions, designate a Teacher/Staff/Student as a “Tobacco Monitor”.
Organize Essay, Painting, Poster, Quiz and Debate competitions on tobacco and Discussion in school assemblies, Organize School rallies and Prabhat Pheries, “Yellow Line” – Demarcation of Educational Institutions to marking it tobacco free, Enforcement drives within 100 yards of school and Self-declaration form of TOFEI guidelines and school report to CEO,” the order reads.
Officials said that the aim of conducting pledge ceremonies is to keep the younger generation away from tobacco and smoking.
Spokesperson of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir Dr Mir Mushtaq who is also nodal officer of NTCP Kashmir said that for the first time such kind of exercise is being done in the whole of Kashmir as DHSK and DSEK are jointly taking no smoking pledge tomorrow.
“This is done in view of the ongoing “tobacco-free youth campaign” launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India,” he said.
Dr Mushtaq said that DHSK and DSEK have conducted a series of meetings on this issue and have decided to hold joint pledge ceremonies in order to implement Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (TOFEI).
He said that the aim is to make all educational institutions tobacco free and raise awareness about ill effects of tobacco so that future generations won’t get attracted towards tobacco menace—(KNO)