Police stations in Kohima declared ‘Tobacco Free’

DC and Chairman DLCC Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie NCS, DLCC officials and certificate holders of Tobacco Free Police Stations and institution during the Kohima DLCC meeting held on November 5. (DIPR Photo) 

Kohima, November 5 (MExN): The quarterly meeting of Kohima District Level Coordination Committee (DLCC) on Tobacco Control was held at DC’s Conference Hall, Kohima on November 5. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Chairman DLCC Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie NCS.

A DIPR report stated that chairing the meeting, the DC said that the meeting would reviewed the progress and achievements made so far and would also discuss on what needs more to be carried out in coming days and further hoped to have a fruitful discussion.

During the meeting, fifteen Police Stations including an institution were declared as ‘tobacco free’ police stations and institution by Dr N Savino, Director (Dental), Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kohima where the DC & Chairman DLCC Kohima, Gregory gave away the certificates.

The declared ‘tobacco free’ police stations and institution included Kezocha Police Station, Khuzama Police Station, South Police Station, North Police Station, Women Police Station, Chiephobozou Police Station, Tseminyu Police Station, Zubza Police Station, North Traffic Control, South Traffic Control, SP Office, Kohima, Mobile Unit, Baptist College, Kohima including Sechü Campus and Christ for the Nation College Kohima.

Declaring the ‘tobacco free’ police stations and institution, Dr. Savino hoped that the declaration would lead to a fruitful outcome. He also highlighted the history of tobacco and its achievements in the country. In Nagaland, Dr. Savino said that Gariphema village was declared as the first tobacco free Village on May 31, 2014 and with the efforts of all the concerned DLCC members and other stakeholders, Kohima district has achieved a total no. of twenty-four Tobacco free dental clinics, eight Tobacco free villages, seven tobacco free hospitals/clinics and nursing homes, eighty-seven tobacco free schools and colleges and twelve tobacco free Police Station. 

“However the district has till now no record of having a single tobacco/smoke free hotel or restaurant,” he therefore requested the Tobacco Control Team to target those places in their next step to create good impression to the people as these places have the maximum numbers of visitors from outside the state. 

The meeting also reviewed the last quarterly meeting minutes held on June 26, 2019 and further discussed on the agendas ‘to implement effective measures on maintaining the status of tobacco free police stations’ where the meeting decided that each police station to set up tobacco control committee by designation for actual implementation and also to identify a suitable place for smoking zone. 

The DC & Chairman DLCC also requested the respective OC or In-Charge Officer to go through the guidelines for implementation process. The meeting also discussed the agenda of prohibition of E-cigarettes and to implement seizure of trade licenses for repetitive offenders of Section 6 (b) COTPA 2003.