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Dr. Hotokhu Chishi, Nokchasashi along with the leaders of the three villages pose for lens at Nsunyu community hall, Tseminyu, on March 6.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima March 6 (EMN): Three villages in Tseminyu sub-division namely Nsunyu, Chunlikha, and Likhwenchu villages were declared tobacco-free during a programme held at Nsunyu community hall on March 6. Kohima district now has the most number of tobacco-free villages in the state.
State NTCP nodal officer and joint director of health and family welfare department, Dr. Hotokhu Chishi, updated that the awareness campaigns conducted under the schemes has till date transformed 12 villages in different districts as “tobacco -free village.”
So far seven villages from Kohima district, two villages each from Dimapur and Zunheboto, and one village in Wokha have been declared as tobacco-free while the rest of eight districts do not have any such villages, he said.
The coming together of the three villages to attain tobacco free status should be an example for the rest of the over 1400 villages in the state, Dr. Chishi said.
Asserting that the village councils have the right to frame internal administrative customary and traditional laws, he encouraged those villages to uphold and stand firm on the declaration.
Village council chairman of Chunlikha, Zukeya Woch, shared on the initiative of village councils and NGOs on tobacco free movement.
He said that there were eight pan shops in the village but considering the harmful effect of consuming tobacco the church elders proposed for banning sale of tobacco in the three villages.
The proposal was accepted by the councils of the villages and resolved that they would extend support towards availing avenues for the survival of those running the pan shops.
The decision to declare tobacco free villages was adopted on January 1, 2019, he informed adding that “citizens of the three villages used to spend around INR 30-40 lakh annually on tobacco consumption.
He said those found selling tobacco within the jurisdiction of the villages would be imposed INR 3000 fine on first instance, followed with INR 5000 for second default. If caught for third time, they would be dealt with seriously to the extent of cancelation trade license and suspension from the village.
Additional deputy commissioner, Tseminyu, Nokchasashi, lauded the efforts of the three villages stating that there are rules under Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act banning consumption and sale of tobacco products but due to lack of implementing agency it cannot be enforced strictly.
He said that village councils are auxiliary to district administration and such decisions would help proper enforcement of the rules.
After the formal programme, the gathering took no smoking pledge, promising not to smoke or use tobacco products now and forever. The gathering also vowed to do their best to dissuade people from indulging into such habits.
Kohima district nodal officer for NTCP, Dr. Arenla Thong, dwelling on community sensitisation, said that both forms of tobacco – smoking and smokeless are harmful not only to the consumers but also to those around them.
Children of parents using tobacco are in danger of picking up the habit at an early stage, she said, adding that tobacco consumption ultimately leads to cancer ruining the economy of the family.
