Port Blair, Apr 18: A Meeting of Officials under DC South Andaman on 13/4/17, was held in the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner Office.
Twenty officials attended the meeting, prominent among those who attended it were Dr. R Devdas, Principal, ANCOL, Dr. Suman Verma, Deputy Director, Education Dept. Mr. Abhay Kumar, National President, Indian Pharmacist Association(IPA), Dr. Bindu Kumar, Advisor, IPA (A& N Is.) and Mr. Ramadasan Nair , District Food Safety Officer.
Dr Rakesh Gupta, Deputy Director ,NCDs Punjab, was the special guest who was on his holiday trip to these islands spared his valuable time to share his experience and expertise as he has been instrumental in curbing the menace of tobacco & it’s products in Punjab to a greater extent.
Dr. R. K. Gupta motivated the entire gathering through a power point presentation to effectively implement the tobacco ban in these islands.
He also wholeheartedly appreciated the Hon’ble Lt. Governor of these islands Prof.Jagdish Mukhi and Shri. Udit Prakash , the Commissioner Food Safety to implement Tobacco ban in these Islands.
Main points of the meetings are 3500 persons killed daily in INDIA due to tobacco; 50% cancers because of tobacco; State Level and Distt level Coordination Committees with members from Health, Police, Education, FDA EXCISE, Legal Metrology, Finance & NGOs should be constituted; Awareness activities on World No Tobacco Day 31/5/17 in whole of May; Challan books to be printed and given to all deptts; Regular Enforcement drives by members of Task force with members from all stake holder deptts; Get permission for deposition of Challan money in SHS NHM Tobacco control account and utilise only for Tobacco Control; Strict implementation of ban on smoking in public places and Establishing the Drug Control Dept likewise the Food Safety Dept. under the Commissioner of Food Safety or a comprehensive Food and Drugs Administration at par with Punjab & Gujarat for effective implementation of Drugs & Cosmetic Act. in these islands.
This meeting was called on the initiative of Shri. Udit Prakash Rai, the Commissioner Food Safety,S/ Andaman.
