GUWAHATI: More than 700 citizens took part in a walkathon on Tuesday morning with a slogan to “make Guwahati a Tobacco free city”.
Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam and Consumer VOICE, New Delhi in association with Pathik organized this walkathon from Hiteswar Saikia College (City College), Sixmile to Ganesh Mandir Indoor Stadium, Khanapara via Veterinary College U tern.
The 5-km walkathon was organized on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day. The purpose of the walkathon was to sensitization of stakeholder and creating awareness among people for effective tobacco control measures to protect young generation from tobacco menace and make Guwahati a Tobacco free city
According to Global Adults Tobacco Survey, in Assam 25.3% of men, 0.8% of women and 13.3% of all adults currently smoke tobacco. 50.5% of men and 32.5% of women and 41.7% of all adults currently use smokeless tobacco. The mean age at initiation of tobacco use has increased from 18.1 per cent to 18.5 per cent. When tobacco use in the country decreased from 34.6 per to 28.6 per cent, but in Assam it increased from 39.3 per cent to 48.2 per cent.
The Walkathon was flagged off from Hiteswar Saikia College field by Assam police ADGP (CID), Dr L R Bishnoi, DebeswarMalakar, Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation; Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, Director, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Dr Arundhuti Deka, State Nodel Officer, State Tobacco Control Cell, Akash Pradhan, Sr. Executive, Assam Cancer Care Foundation.
More than 700 school and college students, teachers, eminent personalities, celebrities, women organisations, civil societies, consumer organisations, Police and Government officials, senior citizens participated.
The Walkathon was followed by an awareness meeting at Ganesh Mandir Indoor Stadium, Khanapara to create awareness against tobacco among the young generation. Participants take oath not use tobacco and tobacco related products in whole life at the end of awareness meeting.