Six more Faridkot villages tobacco-free

health department declared six more villages in Faridkot tobacco-free on Friday, taking the total number of such villages in the district to 27.

The authorities had declared 21 villages tobacco-free during its drive in past one year. Tobacco control cell has issued 1,100 challans in the district this year.

The six villages are Rupayian Wala, Buttar, Raiwala Khurd, Bhagthala Khurd, Sadhu Wala and Janeria, all under the Jhand Sahib primary health centre.

Dr Prabhdeep Chawla, an educator with the PHC, Jhand Sahib, said: “We are proud that we could make an instrumental contribution in the making of drugs-free Punjab. People die due to consumption of tobacco. Our vision is to save the future generations from ill-effects of tobacco.”

When asked that how a village is declared tobacco-free, he said panchayat members and designated health officials to keep a tab on illegal sale of tobacco. “Panchayat imposes fine on violators. After distributing awareness material in the village, meetings with the villagers and students are held regularly. Eventually, villagers take a pledge not to use tobacco and our teams secretly check the availability of such products in the village before finally giving it a tag of a tobaccofree area,” said Dr Chawla.

In Faridkot city, the authorities issued 211 challans for illegal sale of tobacco. A total of 118 challans were issued in Jaitu, 196 in Kotkapura, 240 in Bajakhana and 205 in Jhand Sahib. Other authorised agencies, including the food and supplies department, sales tax issued 114 challans in the district. The drug inspector also issued 16 challans. The health department so far has collected total fine of ₹85,890 this year.