Anti-smoking Campaign Vehicle Launched
Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University G. Thiruvasagam (third right) flaging off an anti-smoking campaign vehicle in Coimbatore on Monday. The Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, G. Thiruvasagam, has announced that the university and all its affiliated colleges will become smoke-free zones from October 2. This is in keeping with the announcement of the Union Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, that the Government would introduce the no-smoking policy in all indoor establishments from the same day. “The university will put up boards reading “Smoking is prohibited within the campus” in all the colleges. Shops inside the campus will be banned from selling cigarettes. There will be a ban on cigarette-smoking by students as well as faculty,” Mr. Thiruvasagam told. Those who did not adhere to the warning would be fined Rs. 100. The ill-effects of smoking should be impressed upon when in college itself, the Vice-Chancellor said.
As a prelude to the imposition and also to create awareness among people about the evils of smoking, Mr. Thiruvasagam flagged off a campaign vehicle on anti-smoking on Monday at the university. To be manned by the students of the Department of Social Work of the university, the vehicle would traverse to all parts of the university and the city till October 15. Students would use audio-visual aids to alert people about the ban and the ills of smoking. They would also seek the attention of the public towards pollution of the environment caused by cigarette smoke.
