Aday long training for enforcement squads cum District level Coordination Committee meeting was held today to review the implementation of National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP).Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Syed Khan chaired the meeting held at Conference Hall DC Office Complex and attended by all stakeholder departments .
At the outset, Dr Vijay Basnotra , Chief Medical Officer gave a brief overview of the training & objective of the DLCC meeting through a PowerPoint presentation. The CMO informed the role and responsibilities of designated committee members on Tobacco Control.
Divisional Coordinator Jammu, Shiveta Raina also spoke on the occasion. She informed the participants about the burden of tobacco use in India including J&K. She also briefed the participants about NTCP and COTPA 2003 ACT.
She added that the main objective of organizing this training programme is to engage the key stakeholders such as senior government officials, national experts to build the capacity of the stakeholders and to get a better understanding regarding enforcement of the provisions of the COTPA -2003 and to implement the National Tobacco control programme.
Addressing the training programme, the ADC laid thrust on the enforcement of the COTPA 2003 in letter and spirit and also ensured the formulation of enforcement squads within the shortest possible period of time.
Necessary instructions were issued for better implementation of the programme in the district, with inter sectoral convergence so as to make the programme a big success in Udhampur district.SDMs and Tehsildars were asked to inspect all the educational institutions in the light of COTPA-2003 and submit a compliance report after drawing a yellow line around the educational institutions.
The ADC directed the officers for declaration of tobacco free govt buildings, offices, educational institutions and public places. District officers were further directed to install no smoking signage in their respective govt offices and declare tobacco free offices.
District Officers were asked for formulation of enforcement squads at district as well as block level.The CMO was asked to give challan books to all the officers authorized for challaning under COTPA-2003, so that defaulters can be dealt strictly and challaning will act as deterrent for violation of COTPA-2003.
Among others, ASP, Anwar-Ul- Haq, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Rafiq Ahmed Jaral, All SDMs and other District and Sectoral officers besides representatives of NGO were present on the occasion.