JORHAT, June 1 � Praising their efforts to stop the illicit trade of tobacco in the city of Jorhat and remote rural areas like Borhola, two police officers, a businessman and many school students and social workers were felicitated here on Sunday by the District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) during the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, 2015.
The officer in-charge of Jorhat Police Station, Pradip Kumar Borah and officer in-charge of Borhola Police Station, Dipanta Phukan were feted for their exemplary activities for enforcing various sections of the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act (COTPA) in their respective areas to stop the sale and use of tobacco and its byproducts.
Jorhat-based businessman Pankaj Sarma, who has given up his distributorship of cigarettes at the heart of the city, was also honoured at the public function which was presided over by the Joint Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mubidur Rahman.
Dr Rahman appreciated the DTCC for carrying out anti-tobacco activities in urban and rural pockets of the district, besides organising mass awareness programmes on the hazardous effect of tobacco on human health.
The district nodal officer of Jorhat DTCC, Dr Bhaktimay Bhattacharya said that the Deputy Commissioner Solanki Vishal Vasant and Jorhat SP Amanjeet Kaur helped them immensely to continue the efforts to stop the sale and consumption of tobacco in several areas of Jorhat.
�We felicitated the two police officers because of their exemplary official activities against the illicit trade of tobacco in our city and remote Borhola. Jorhat DC and SP have encouraged us more to continue the fight against this illicit trade,� said Dr Bhattacharya.
A social worker of Jorhat, Sandip Nandi was also felicitated by the DTCC for his invaluable works in making the puja mandaps tobacco-free zones during the last celebration of Durga Puja in the city. Nandi gave up his habit of smoking before being involved with the anti-tobacco activities.
Attending the function noted educationist and former principal of JB College, Dr Bijoy Chandra Sarma and the Inspector of Schools, Hiren Gogoi said that they also gave up the habit of smoking after the workers of the DTCC visited their institution and the office in Jorhat.
The Jorhat Inspector of Schools has been taking up practical initiatives to create awareness on the ill effects of tobacco and to make the schools in the district tobacco-free educational institutes. The students and teachers of many schools were encouraged by the DTCC in this regard.
