Department of Students Welfare University of Kashmir and J&K Voluntary Health and Development Association (JKVHDA) in collaboration with The Times of India today organized one day awareness programme on the eve of “World No Tobacco Day-2015” at Media House University of Kashmir.Minister for Health & Medical Education, ARI Trainings, Choudary Lal Singh was Chief Guest and Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Asiya Naqash was the Guest of Honour on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, Ch. Lal Singh said that the people who are smoking harm their health and also polluting the environment. He appealed the youth especially the youngsters to avoid smoking and other menace of tobacco chewing. He said civil society should play a pivotal role to create awareness in the society. Ch Lal Singh thanked the Organizers for organizing such programmes, adding that similar functions would create awareness among the general public about the hazards of tobacco and other intoxicating agents.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister of State for Health, Ms. Asiya said that Tobacco imposes a colossal burden of diseases and health hazards including social, economic and environment effects. She said that prevalence and practices of tobacco use in India are varied and disparate. The Minister said that there is need to devise innovative methods of mobilizing financial and human resources for tobacco control, establish efficient national coordinating mechanisms, integrate tobacco control into health and development programme and periodically evaluate these activities. Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir, Prof Kursheed Iqbal Indrabi, Registrar University of Kashmir, Prof Zaffar Reshi, Chairman, J&K Voluntary Health and Development Association, Dr. G.Q Alaqband, Executive Director, SKIMS, Dr. A. M Mir, Prominent Poet, Zarif Ahmed Zarif also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the importance of World No Tobacco Day.Deputy Director News, Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, Mr. Shafiq Qureshi, Director EMMRC, Dr. Shahid Rasool, members of JKVHDA, large number of students from different educational institutions and prominent citizens attended the function.