Under the strict supervision of District Administration Kakching, joint enforcement drives were conducted today in the district as part of the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0 under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) Cell of the District Health Society Kakching.
The joint enforcement drives for compliance with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019 (PECA) in various shops and business establishments within 100 yards of educational institution campuses were carried out by NTCP Cell staff, Food Safety staff and Kakching Police.
The team was led by Dr. Thaodem Rajen Singh, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kakching, along with Dr. Takhellambam Jullon Singh, DNO NTCP Kakching, Devendro, Designated Food Safety Officer, Ph. Priyobarta, Officer-in-Charge Kakching Police and staff of NTCP Cell, Kakching.
Yellow line demarcation, in accordance with COTPA, 2003, was carried out at Kakching Higher Secondary School, Public School Kakching and Martin Grammar School, Kakching to create a tobacco-free zone. The NTCP yellow marking is a campaign to draw a thick yellow line 100 yards (300 feet) around educational institutions to indicate a tobacco-free zone, where the sale of tobacco products is strictly prohibited under COTPA, 2003.
Also, awareness programmes and joint enforcement drives will be conducted at other schools and colleges of Kakching district in the coming days.