Delhi schools join battle against tobacco

May 27th, 2011 - 8:24 pm ICT by IANS  

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Private schools in Delhi Friday joined hands with a non-profit organisation to declare their campus “tobacco-free” before the World No-Tobacco Day to be observed May 31.

The Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth (HRIDAY) had approached schools with a set of guidelines adopted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to craft a policy for tobacco-free school premises.

Schools that joined the move include Tagore International School in Vasant Vihar, Indraprastha World School in Paschim Vihar, Evergreen Public School in Vasundhara Enclave and Salwan Public School (Afternoon) in Old Rajendar Nagar, among others.

After a public interest litigation (PIL) mentioned that tobacco is being sold within the prohibited area of the premises around schools in Delhi, directives were issued to Delhi Police to take steps so that the sales of tobacco products is stopped in prohibited areas and ensure that the ban is effectively implemented.

Deepti Singh, legal officer of HRIDAY, said: “We have been working with over 300 schools in Delhi, both government and private, for past 12 years. Efforts have been made time to time to educate the students, teachers and parents about the menace of tobacco and importance of a tobacco-free institution.”

The guidelines include steps such as prohibiting sale of tobacco products inside the school premises or within a radius of 100 yards from educational institutions, displaying mandatory signs on the main gate and on boundary walls and banning smoking or chewing of tobacco or tobacco products inside the campus by all.

Madhulika Sen, principal of Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, said: “The students and teachers have taken on the responsibility of making the school and neighbourhood free of tobacco.”

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