UDUPI: Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T.K. said that under the ‘Tobacco-Free Village’ initiative, five gram panchayats have so far been selected in the district. With a total of 155 gram panchayats, she stressed that this number needs to increase. She directed health department officials and staff to engage with the public, spread awareness, and encourage communities to adopt the tobacco-free model.Presiding over a meeting on COTPA-2003 under the District Tobacco Control Programme at Rajathadri on Friday, the DC said Heskatturu and Korgi gram panchayats have already been declared tobacco-free. She added that the benefits experienced by residents of these panchayats must be shared with neighbouring villages to encourage them to stay away from tobacco products.She said that from April onwards, more than 23 raids were conducted in the district, resulting in over 324 cases being booked and fines totalling Rs 52,900 collected. Even within the premises of the district hospital, 60 COTPA violation cases were recorded, resulting in fines of Rs 6,750. The DC stressed that the frequency of such raids must increase.The Department of Public Instruction and the Pre-University Education Department have provided a state-level website dedicated to tobacco-free educational institutions. Every school and college must check compliance and update the status. However, the progress so far has been below expectations. Of the 1,069 schools in the district, only 504 have uploaded details. The DC instructed both departments to complete the update within a week. She also noted that the progress of shops obtaining a separate licence to sell tobacco products, in addition to a trade licence, has not been satisfactory and directed officials to ensure strict compliance.Keep a Close WatchThe DC directed officials to regularly check that all medical stores are equipped with CCTV cameras. Postal officials were instructed to closely monitor parcels and couriers arriving from foreign countries and to immediately alert the police if any suspicious packages are found.Presiding over the District Coordination Committee meeting of the NCORD, she said that 80,669 labourers are registered in the district. Awareness meetings and workshops should be conducted for them with the cooperation of the health and police departments. Pointing out that a large number of migrant labourers arrive in the district by train from North India, she said railway police officers must check suspicious individuals suspected of transporting narcotics. Social Welfare Department officials, in coordination with CEN police, must also organise awareness programmes for hostel students. In addition, she directed that random checks of ready-to-eat food items be conducted and samples sent to laboratories for analysis on priority.SP Hariram Shankar said that to prevent youngsters from falling prey to drugs, a QR code has been introduced for anonymous reporting. “This code will be displayed in all educational institutions, student hostels, and public places across the district. The initiative has already received an excellent response,” he said.
