Three more villages Ehunnu, Yikhanu and Sewanu under Tseminyu sub-division of Kohima district were declared tobacco-free villages, taking the tobacco-free village tally in the district to 11.
The three villages were declared tobacco-free during the district level coordination committee quarterly review meeting held in the conference hall of Kohima deputy commissioner on Wednesday.
Kohima additional deputy commissioner Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, who chaired the meeting, congratulated the three tobacco-free villages and making it to a total of 11 declared tobacco-free villages under the district.
She encouraged them to uphold the initiative in the future and also to spread awareness on the declaration down to the house level for the benefit of the future generation.
Rutsa also entrusted the villages to present their reports in the next quarterly meeting based on the benefits, improvement and if any difficulty faced by them after the declaration.
Declaring the three villages tobacco-free, joint director (dental) and National Tobacco Control Programme state nodal officer Dr C. Tetseo congratulated them for setting up a good example in declaring their villages as tobacco-free villages.
He said after two to three years from now, a survey will be conducted basing on the improvement of health, economy of the villages.
Tetseo also stated that the declaration was made not for any developmental works in exchange but to eliminate the easy accessibility of tobacco products in the villages for the benefit of the future generation.
He handed over the certificates of tobacco-free villages to the representatives of the three villages.
Today’s meeting also deliberated on the agenda of smoke-free Kohima city and decided to form a sub-committee and nominated some officers to come up with some suggestions for implementation of the same.
The other agenda on the declaration of more tobacco-free villages was also discussed for survey and further declaration.
Achila Walling from District Tobacco Control Cell Kohima gave a power-point presentation on the activities of the cell for the last quarter carried out in schools/institutions and villages.
She said a total of 127 persons were counselled and 65 clients were given pharmacological support.