New Delhi: The BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on Tuesday announced that its schools will be made tobacco free. According to mayor (North Delhi) Adesh Gupta, in a one of its kind initiative the NDMC is working with Sambandh Health Foundation and Max India to make schools under its jurisdiction tobacco free.
Under the programme, school principals from all the six zones of the corporation are trained to quit tobacco products and deal with students who consume tobacco. School principals have also taken a pledge to stay away from tobacco products and motivate children to do the same. Guidelines have been issued in this regard.
Mr Gupta claimed that as per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2016-17, 12.4 per cent of tobacco users in India are in between the age group of 15 and 24 years. In Delhi, everyday 81 students become tobacco consumers.
“Since children in municipal schools belong to lower income strata, who are more prone to tobacco consumption at early stages, it is important for us to have such a programme in place,” said Mr Gupta.
