NONGSTOIN/AMPATI/WILLIAMNAGAR, May 30: West Khasi Hills, South West Garo Hills and East Garo Hills left their mark in Meghalaya’s successful World No Tobacco Day campaign this year with a large number of students from each of the three districts showing exhilarating participation in the anti-tobacco campaign.
In West Khasi Hills, 968 schools conducted rallies in the district and 52,171 students collected 842,566 signatures.
The district winners were Madan Sohmylleng RCLP (Primary category), cling care (MEMO) UPS (Upper Primary category), Dapboklang Giri Memorial Secondary School (Secondary category) and FGEM Higher Secondary School (Higher Secondary category).
In South West Garo Hills, 255 schools conducted rallies while 7,628 students collected 16,532 signatures, in the month-long campaign against tobacco culminating with the World No Tobacco Day 2023. With last year’s success of World No Tobacco Day campaign which made its impact in every corner of Meghalaya, this year, the state decided to intervene and ensured children’s active participation across the state.
In the district, Morning Flower LP School emerged as winners in Primary category, Kasturba Gandhi Balika VIdyalaya in Upper Primary, Joyfar Secondary School in Secondary category and Kalaipara Secondary School became winners in Higher Secondary category.
In East Garo Hills, the district winners were Rev Oniram Memorial English School (Primary category), Rongjeng Govt UP School (Upper Primary category), Ferrando Memorial English School (Secondary category) and Green Yard Secondary School (Higher Secondary category).
It may be mentioned that more than 4.9 lakh students from over 8,000 schools from across the state participated in this year’s anti-tobacco campaign.
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed on May 31 every year, globally, serving as a powerful reminder that each one of us need to fight against tobacco and protect our citizens, especially children. NTCP Meghalaya and the Education department in collaboration with Sambandh Health Foundation ran a successful WNTD campaign this year, which required every school to perform two activities viz., rally against tobacco and signature campaign.
