A State-level painting and declamation contest was organised by Uttarakhand Tobacco Free Initiative (UTFI) and World lung Foundation-South Asia (WlF) on anti-tobacco theme at MKP College in Dehradun on Wednesday.
After distributing the prizes to the winners, Manisha Panwar, Secretary (Education) lauded the efforts of the State Government in promoting UTFI and other tobacco initiatives. She said that everybody efforts is needed to make Uttarakhand completely tobacco-free State in the country.
DOE CS Gwal said that most of the GIC have appointed tobacco-free nodal officers amongst its teaching faculty who are being supported by Tobacco Free Brigade which is a team of students functioning as eyes and ears of the programme. While appreciating the support of the State Government to run UTFI, Dr GR Khatri, president, WlF warned that unless urgent action is taken in controlling tobacco menace by 2020, 30 people in the State may start dying everyday from the tobacco related causes. PNS