Y.S. Rana ,Shimla-Feb 26 : Himachal will soon be smoke-free state. This was stated by the State Education Minister, Mr I.D. Dhiman. While presiding over a state-level prohibition prize distribution function here on Friday, he said that state government has banned smoking in all public places in the state and for this purpose provisions have been enacted to impose penalty on smokers. He further said that the Government had also declared ‘No Smoking Zone’ around the vicinity of all educational institutions in the State.
Expressing his determination to make the state smoke-free, he said that teachers and parents could play a major role to inculcate moral values in the children and they should follow their foot steps to move ahead in life. He said that the teachers and parents could act as a guide for the children and motivate them to refrain from drugs and other intoxicants so as to build a healthy society and a strong nation.
The minister implored upon the women to educate and make the children aware about the ill-effects of drugs and smoking and hoping that the country could again attain the status of ‘Vishwa Guru.’ He said that the State Government was taking effective measures to stop practice of drug abuse. He also told that since May, 2004, the Government had implemented Tobacco Control laws under which the sale of tobacco related products to the children under 18 years old had completely been banned.
The minister also distributed prizes to the winners who participated in declamation and painting competitions on prohibition.
In declamation contest, Kumari Poonam Sharma of Senior Secondary School, Pratha, District Solan stood first, Kumari Akshita Shukla of Rainbow International Public School, Nagrota Bagwan, District Kangra secured second position whereas Kumari Anjana of senior secondary school, Kungash, district Kullu was ranked as third at school level competition while at college level competition, Anjala Makhaik of Green Hill Engineering College , District Solan, stood first, Sh Suresh Kumar of Government College , Hamirpur secured second position whereas third prize was shared jointly by Kumari Shrishi Swaraj of Government college Mandi and Kumari Ankita of Government college Kullu.
In poster competition Kumari Kanchan of Senior Secondary School Drang, District Mandi stood first, Kumari Vandana Panwar of Central School, Jatog Cantt., Shimla and Shri Govind of Senior Secondary School Lalpani, Shimla bagged second and third positions respectively EOM