The Kohima district administration has banned smoking in all public places, including police stations, public transport, prisons and jails, for the sake of public health.
Kohima deputy commissioner Gregory Thejawelie, in an order on Friday, said “indiscriminate smoking” in police stations and various means of public conveyance is a clear violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.
Thejawelie directed both Nagaland transport and police departments to comply with the law by installing prohibitive signage and warning messages in all public places under their jurisdiction.
In another development, the Nagaland Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) Dimapur, in collaboration with the Diphupar Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), launched “yellow line” tobacco-free campaign here on Friday in a bid to curb the increasing consumption of tobacco among the students.
NTCP district nodal officer Dr C. Tetseo said the objective of the campaign was to strengthen tobacco-free institutional norms and create more awareness among students, staff, and visitors.
He reminded that Nagaland has been declared as the highest consumer of smokeless tobacco in the Northeast region.
DNSU president N. Pitovi Achumi congratulated the institutions within the union’s jurisdiction for declaring their institutions as tobacco-free zone. He urged other institutions to follow suit.
The union also warned the business establishments or shops, falling within the yellow line or within 100 metres of any educational institution, to immediately stop selling tobacco products.
It said the shops and other business houses found selling tobacco products will be penalised.