Educational institutions in Assam to be tobacco free

GUWAHATI: Assam Government has issued a notification to make all educational institutions in the state tobacco-free by this year. Additional Chief Secretary ( Education) Rajiv Kumar Bora in a letter to all heads of institutions urged them to comply with the prescribed criteria for tobacco free educational institutions.

Bora, in the letter dated May 19 last, urged the institutions to submit the status report along with self-declaration at the earliest, to the concerned district and state officials.

The Additional Chief Secretary (Education) will also review the action taken by each institution in this regard on regular basis, officials said here today.

The criteria for Tobacco Free Educational Institution are display of 'Tobacco free education institution' board at a prominent place on the boundary wall outside the main entrance.

It also includes display of mandatory signage stating 'Sale of tobacco products is prohibited within 100 yards radius of this educational institution' at a prominently place near the main gate and on boundary wall of school/institute.

Display prominently at the entrance and exit of the school premises- "No Smoking Area-Smoking Here is an Offence" signages of 60x30 cm size inside the institution (as mandated by law), appointment of Nodal officers in each educational institution for tobacco control and monitoring activities and incorporate tobacco control activities/programmes in the educational institutions should also be initiated by the institutions.