Anantnag,March 08, (Scoop News)- Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Saugat Biswas inaugurated sensitization workshop for Enforcement Officers and Media persons on tobacco control laws and measures. The workshop was organised by VHAI and J&K Voluntary Health Association, in collaboration with District Administration and District Police Anantnag. The participants were SHOs, Chief Education Officer, ZEOs, Principals of Hr. Secondary Schools, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, BMOs, Asstt. Controller Drug & Food Control Organisation, representatives of local print and electronic media and local cigarette vendors of Anantnag District. Speaking on the occasion DC Anantnag said that public places including health & medical institutions shall be made tobacco free. He asked JKVHA to provide technical support to achieve this goal.
Sr. Superintendent of Police Sheikh Junaid Mahmood spoke on the role of Police Department in enforcement of tobacco control laws in public places and monitoring system of violations of COTPA provisions and its reporting in Monthly Crime Review Meetings.
Welcoming the guests and participants, Executive Director JKVHA, A. M. Mir (IAS Retd) highlighted the purpose of the workshop for sensitizing the enforcement officers of tobacco control Act, and media persons. Mir informed that public places in Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla have been declared as tobacco free by the concerned District Magistrates. Enforcement squads have been constituted to check violations in public places and the results are fruitful but more effective steps are need to be taken to check violations in public places. Resource persons who spoke on various topics of tobacco control in public places, hazards of tobacco products, role of civil society and print and electronic media were Binoy Mathew and Rahul Sharma of Voluntary Health Association of India, Dr. Professor Abdul Majid, Community Medicines SKIMS Srinagar, A.K. Wani Sr. Programme Manager, JKVHA and Chief Education Officer Anantnag. The vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Fozia, Dy. Chief Medical Officer Anantnag.
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