NE pledge to make tobacco-free
Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang

Guwahati, March 03 2013 : In a historic drive over thousands of people, including Ministers, school children, Government officials, NGOs, cancer patients and doctors, on Saturday pledged not to consume tobacco and other tobacco related products and make northeast a tobacco-free region.

At a campaign, which was launched in the State on Saturday to make North-East a tobacco-free place, the people vowed to bring down the increasing rate of cancer in the region.

Chief Minister of Assam Tarum Goggoi said that the State Government is very soon going to issue a circular to the education and health department, stating strict action will be taken against any official and school teacher, who consumes tobacco and tobacco-related products, and it may also result in voluntary retirement as a model state amongst the North-Eastern region.

The campaign for a tobacco-free northeast is the initiative of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Assam.

According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Northeast has the highest incidence of tobacco consumption in India with 44.1%, higher than the National average of 35%.In terms of Smokeless tobacco consuming states of the region are Mizoram (55%), Nagaland (57%), Tripura (55%), Meghalaya (55%), Manipur (54%) and Assam (39 %) .

"Thousands of people are dying of cancer and cardiac diseases every year after consuming gutka, pan masala, khaini, tobacco and cigarettes.

This campaign will help generate awareness among the people and help make a healthier State.

The Government is going to initiate a tobacco ban act in the March assembly session.

A revolution against tobacco and other tobacco-related products has started from today" .

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

CM Gogoi has been designated as the brand ambassador for the special anti-tobacco campaign organised by Union ministry of health and family welfare and the Assam government.

The campaign aimed at increasing awareness on the effects of tobacco consumption and its health impact.

Gogoi said the Northeast, especially Assam, has the highest number of cases of cancer because of consumption of tobacco products.

The Chief Minister said the State Government cannot compromise on health of citizens and the ban on tobacco products has to be enforced strictly.

Gogoi, along with students present at the programme, took a pledge not to buy or sell tobacco products.

Gauhati High Court last month registered a public interest litigation (PIL) against Dispur's failure to ban gutkha and other smokeless tobacco products in the state at Guwahati Medical college Auditorium.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Arup Kumar Goswami, took up the PIL on the basis of a letter written to Goel by the Assam chapter of the Indian Dental Association.

Assam Health and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Today is the historic day for the entire region because a revolution has started to put an end to the sale and consumption of smokeless tobacco products.

Very soon the Government is going to issue a circular to the health and education department officials and also the teachers that strict action will be taken officials who consume tobacco and other tobacco-related products.

The officials will be given a time-period of six months to stop consuming these products and if they fail to do so, they will be given a second chance to leave the habit within one year, failing which they will be asked to take voluntary retirement" .

A rally was taken out in the morning where 2,500 school children from 40 schools, 100 nurses, 70 scouts and guides besides the common people, took part.

A media advocacy workshop was also held later in the day which was attended by almost all the North-Eastern states at Pragati Manor, GS road Guwahati.

Amongst other the program was attended by Actress Zeenat Aman, Rakeswari Bollywood singer, teenage sensation Borouwa Saha and North East super model Easter Jamir and Florence who also promotes this cause.

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