While the Dasara festivities have taken off on a grand scale this year after two years of low-key celebrations, the Anti Tobacco Forum has called for declaring this year’s Dasara “Tobacco-free Mysuru Dasara”.
Convenor of the Forum, Mysuru, Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, said such a move will not only protect non-smokers from the noxious fumes of cigarettes and bidis, but also keep the city’s environs healthy and clean by warning gutkha and other chewing tobacco product users that they should not spit and dirty the city.
“It is necessary to make visitors aware that smoking aggravates COVID-19 and other diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, blood pressure, heart problems etc”, he said while pointing out that the COTPA 2003 rules against use of cigarettes and other tobacco products makes it incumbent on the part of citizens to desist from smoking in public places like markets, tourist spots, temples etc. Violators will be penalised and punished, he added.
He urged the Mysuru district administration and the chairpersons of various committees for Dasara events to consider displaying large billboards containing ant- tobacco messages painted in reflective paints like “Tobacco Kills (with skull and bones picture) and “Please co-operate – Make Mysuru Dasara Tobacco Free” at vantage points on all highways leading to Mysuru and at tourist spots. The anti tobacco messages can also be included in all tourism-related literature/campaign material, handbillls, posters etc, he said.
With Yuva Dasara likely to attract a large crowd of youngsters, Mr. Mysoremath suggested that the entertainment celebrities and film stars can be prevailed upon to convey on-stage and off-stage tobacco awareness messages to the gathering.
In order to safeguard non-smokers from passive smoking, warning billboards must be in place at all such venues, he said while empowered officials should be directed to be among the crowd warning smokers and issuing challans and collecting fines.
As a large crowd is expected to gather to watch the Jamboo Savari much before the procession starts, the Anti Tobacco Forum convenor felt that the gathering can be engaged with social messages like the dangers of smoking. The services of NGOs, who are specialised in street plays and folk music that convey anti tobacco messages, can also be used, suggested Mr Mysoremath.
