Anti-tobacco campaign by NSS unit of G.C.College earn laurels

25 November: 62.9 percent among men and 32.9 percent of women and 48.2 percent of all adults either smoke tobacco and/or use smokeless tobacco. The prevalence of tobacco use among  the teenagers has though decreased as per recent data, yet those consuming it are vulnerable to multifarious fatal diseases. This was said by the Dr. Bibhas Deb, Principal of Gurucharan College (G.C. College), Silchar during the valedictory programme of a week long ‘Special Camp 2018’, conceptualised and executed around the theme, “For Tobacco-free Youth”

The Special Camp conducted by the two units of the NSS of Gurucharn Charan College, Silchar, which began on 19 November, reached a befitting finale on 25 November, 2018, at the units’ adopted slum in Itkholaghat, Silchar. The valedictory function was graced by Prof. Jyoti Lal Chowdhury, President, Governing Body of the college; Principal, Dr. Bibhas Deb; Dr. Subhadra Goala of the Cachar Cancer Hospital, and Prof. Jaydeep Bhattacharjee, Co-ordinator, IQAC. The function witnessed a mass attendance of school students of the locality and guardians.

One of the prime feature of the concluding programme was a play formulated and enacted by NSS volunteers od the college that hinged on the adverse impact of tobacco consumption. The amateur student-actors won the hearts and thundering applause of the audience through their performance.

This year’s camp was conducted with a focus on preventing children from becoming consumers of tobacco products. In consonance with this focal theme, volunteers distributed pamphlets, screened educational videos, sensitised and counselled local inhabitants on the menace of tobacco.

A survey on tobacco usage was also conducted. Dr. Subhadra Goala of the Cachar Cancer Hospital delivered an invited lecture. During her interaction with the local students and guardians, Dr. Goala explained the myriad dimensions of cancer and clarified doubts and misconceptions of the audience regarding cancer and tobacco. A mass pledge to abstain from using tobacco and to encourage others for the same was also conducted today.

While speaking to way2barak, the two Programme Officers of the NSS of G.C. College, Dr. Apratim Nag and Prof. Mehdi Hasan Chowdhury expressed their satisfaction on the successful completion of the camp. They noted that the camp was conceptualised and executed as a follow-up of the ‘Pledge for Life campaign’ that has been operationalised in many states of the country. They thanked the institution’s NSS volunteers for displaying unalloyed sincerity and laudable zeal to work for a noble social cause throughout the camp.