19 schools in Mon declared tobacco-free

A District Level Coordination Committee (DLCC) meeting on tobacco control was held on July 11 at the DC Conference Hall, Mon Town. The meeting marked a significant achievement as 19 schools from Mon district were officially declared as tobacco-free institutions.
The meeting was chaired by DC Mon, Wennyei Konyak, who congratulated the schools for upholding health and wellness among students by going tobacco-free. He also encouraged school authorities to maintain momentum in their fight against tobacco abuse and assured that more enforcement drives would be carried out in subdivisions such as Aboi and Tizit.
Out of the total 19 tobacco-free schools, 9 are from Tizit, 3 from Mon Village, and 7 from Aboi.
Dr. Esther Chophy Ngullie, District Nodal Officer for the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), delivered a detailed presentation on the activities undertaken by the NTCP team. She urged NGOs and school authorities to continue their support in safeguarding children from the harmful effects of tobacco. She emphasized that collective action was needed to sustain awareness and preventive measures across the district.
The meeting also saw the participation of several key stakeholders including: SDO (C) Ajit Kumar; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Supongmenla Walling; Dr. Tialila, principal of Wangkhao Government College; Bendang Wati, SDPO; Dr. Ngopelo, DTO; EACs Mhao Humtsoe and Omajen Ozukum; members of the Mon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and heads of schools, teachers, and DEO office staff.
Discussions focused on the importance of sustained educational outreach, youth engagement and enforcement mechanisms to promote tobacco-free campuses. The DC urged all stakeholders to stay committed and ensure that awareness reaches every household and classroom.