Government Offices, Schools In Beed To Be Made Tobacco-Free

Beed District Collector Vivek Johnson has mandated officials to rigorously enforce the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) to ensure all government offices and schools within Beed district are tobacco-free. The directives were issued during a meeting of the District Anti-Narcotics Executive Committee at the Collectorate, attended by Resident Deputy Collector Shivkumar Swami and other senior officials.

The campaign should commence with the Health Department to discourage tobacco usage, including mava and spitting, within government office premises. Johnson emphasized the necessity of stringent vigilance to prevent tobacco consumption in public offices. Furthermore, it was ordered that no narcotics or tobacco products should be sold within a 100-meter radius of school premises. Headmasters have been instructed to impose penalties under the COTPA Act on those found consuming mava or spitting in school areas.

Johnson underscored the importance of safeguarding schoolchildren from the risk of addiction, stating that keeping school premises tobacco-free is mandatory. He warned of strict action against officials who fail to enforce these regulations, urging all departments to collaborate and conduct awareness programs in schools to inform students about the detrimental effects of substance abuse. The district-wide anti-narcotics campaign must be executed effectively through coordinated efforts as directed by the Collector.