Three more villages under Tseminyu Sub-division namely Ehunnu, Yikhanu and Sewanu villages were declared as “Tobacco Free Villages” in Kohima district during the District Level Coordination Committee (DLCC) quarterly review meeting held in the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner Office Kohima on 25th November 2020.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Kohima, Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa who chaired the meeting congratulated the three tobacco free villages for coming up with their decision and making it to a total of eleven declared Tobacco Free Villages under Kohima district. She encouraged them to uphold the initiative in future and also to spread the awareness on the declaration down to the house level for the benefit of the future generation. ADC also entrusted them to present their reports based on the benefits, improvement and if any difficulty faced by the villages after the declaration in the next quarterly meeting.

Joint Director (Dental) State Nodal Officer (NCTP), Dr. C. Tetseo declaring the three villages congratulated them for setting up a good example in declaring their villages as Tobacco Free Villages. He said that after two to three years from now, survey will be conducted basing on the improvement of health, the economy of the villages.

Dr. Tetseo also stated that the declaration was made not for any developmental works in exchange but to eliminate the easy accessibility of tobacco products in the villages for the benefit of the future generation. He further handed over the certificates of Tobacco Free Villages to the representatives of the three villages.

The last meeting minutes were reviewed and the house further deliberated on the agenda of Smoke Free City, where the house decided to form a sub-committee and nominated some officers to come up with some suggestions for implementation in this regard. The other agenda on the declaration of more tobacco free villages were also discussed for the survey and further declaration. 

Achila Walling, Social Worker, DTCC Kohima gave a PowerPoint presentation on the activities of District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) Kohima for the last quarters carried out in schools/institutions and villages. During which she informed that a total number of 127 persons were counselled and 65 clients were given pharmacological support.