Governance
Ban on sale of loose cigarettes will deter students from smoking: Tata Memorial Deputy Director
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Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Deputy Director, Tata Memorial Hospital, has said that Maharashtra government’s recent decision of banning sale of loose cigarettes will deter college and school going students from smoking.
Dr Chaturvedi said, Most of the college students and even school children get easy access to loose cigarettes due to cheap prices and easy availability. Lack of pictorial warning on loose cigarettes deprives them of effective health warning.
The ban on sale of loose cigarettes will certainly curb tobacco use amongst current and future tobacco users. On behalf of Tata Memorial centre, I would like to congratulate Government of Maharashtra for taking this bold step.
In compliance with Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003, Section 7(2), Government of Maharashtra imposed imposes a ban on sale of single stick loose cigarette and beedis in the state with a clear notification on September 24.
Dr Chaturvedi informed that tobacco use is one of the common risk factors in rapid increase of four major non-communicable diseases (NCDs): cancers, cardiovascular and lung disease, and diabetes. As per Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2, in Maharashtra 6.0% men, 1.4% women and 3.8% of all adults currently smoke tobacco. Smoking also exacerbates the ongoing epidemic of COVID-19.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) focuses on raising taxes on tobacco products, enforcing ban on tobacco consumption in public places, health warnings, bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship to educate people about hazards of Tobacco and helping smokers to quit.
To save the future generation from tobacco, the strict enforcement of Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act is necessary in every state. Maharashtra Government had earlier banned spitting in public places, most often a consequence of smokeless tobacco use, with an aim to create clean and healthy environment.
Dr Chaturvedi added that banning loose cigarettes and beedi is one of the essential steps to reduce consumption among current and future smokers. The hike of taxes on tobacco products does not impact tobacco consumption in India because of the rampant sale of loose cigarettes and beedis.
Dr PC Gupta of Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health also congratulated the state government and said, The State of Maharashtra must be congratulated for being the first state for explicitly banning the sale of loose beedis and cigarettes. Research has shown that in India, large majority of cigarette sales and a substantive proportion of beedi sales occur in loose form. This ban will be of great help in reducing initiation of smoking by adolescents and encouraging cessation among smokers.
Nagpur News
RMBRCN celebrates Charter Presentation & Installation, Rina Sinha becomes Charter President
The Rotary Means Business chapter of Rotary Club Of Nagpur (RMBRCN) celebrated their Charter Presentation and Installation of Board on September 17, 2023 in a crisp official ceremony at Hotel Centre Point, Nagpur.
Rotary Means Business encourages Rotarians to support the success of their fellow Rotarians by doing business with them and by referring others to them.
Charter President Past President Rtn Rina Sinha presided over the ceremony. Renowned entrepreneur and Rotarian Aspi Bapuna, Chairman of Bapuna Group, was the Chief Guest and Rtn Namita Sharma, President of RCN, was the Guest of Honour.
The Board of Directors of RMBRCN include Rtn Navneet Jain, Vice President, Rtn Mohammed Master, Honorary Secretary, Rtn Sanjay Aggarwal Treasurer, Rtn Rakhi Bhatia Director Chapter Service, Rtn Rahul Shrivastava, Director Vocational Service, Dr Ruchi Choudhry, Director Membership Development, Ranjana Duseja, Director Attendance.
Past Rotary District Governor (PDG) Shabbir Shakir, Past Presidents- Bharat Goenka , Khushnoor Chugh, Sanjiv Chugh, Akhtar Parvez, Tejinder Singh Rawal, Alok Goenka, Jerestine Watchmaker, Sandeep Dhodapkar, Sanjay Arora, President RMB Nagpur, and Behram Patel and Amitabh Sinha were present.
President Rina Sinha informed that within a short period of its formation already 48 members representing various businesses have joined the chapter and the numbers are increasing . The Chapter has already crossed 5 crores of business amongst their members and RMB will further strengthen Rotary in membership growth and retention .
Chief Guest Rtn Aspi Bapuna lauded the chapter’s success and reiterated that its comfortable and safe to do business among fellow rotarians as all follow the Four Way Test of Rotary. Jerestine introduced President Rina. Aspi Bapuna presented the charter and installed President Rina Sinha . Rtn Namita congratulated the RMB chapter and informed that this is the new initiative at RCN.The Board was installed by Rina Sinha and all members were installed by the Past Presidents. An exclusive digital Monthly Magazine ‘Growth Engine’ was launched by Editor Niharika Chugh Vali.
Navneet Jain and Rahul Choudhry conducted the referral and thank you session where enthusiastic members informed about their successful business details. Nishchay Sinha launched the social media and MYRMB app which connects members to other chapters digitally, Treasurer Sanjay Agarwal gave treasurers report, Rtn Rakhi Bhatia managed the event. Rtn Parag Datey and Niharika were the Masters of Ceremony (MOCs). Secretary Mohammed Master proposed the formal Vote of Thanks .
Nagpur News
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates double-decker electric bus availed for senior citizens in Nagpur
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday, inaugurated the double-decker electric bus designed for senior citizens in Nagpur. The initiative has been undertaken in association with Ashok Leyland’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Committee and Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan.
Executive President of Jyeshtha Nagarik Pratishthan Datta Meghe, Vice Chairman of Ashok Leyland Limited Yash Sachar, CEO of Switch Mobility Mahesh Babu, and other dignitaries were present during the inauguration.
“I am very thankful to Ashok Leyland’s electric vehicle arm ‘Switch Mobility’ for donating an electric bus for our senior citizens. The bus can hold a capacity of 65 people and will benefit a lot to disabled and senior citizens,” Gadkari said.
“We already have a green Electra bus available to us for the past five to six years. Krishna Reddy has taken the responsibility of repairing and providing air-conditioning to the bus, moreover, he is providing us with one additional bus. A Tata Motor bus will be arriving this month as well, giving us a total of four buses to operate. This will solve the issue of waiting list due to the lack of buses for senior citizens in the city.” he added.
With the help of these buses, senior citizens can avail the benefit of free trips to religious places like Ambhora, Adasa, Shegaon, Mahur, Dhapewada, and Kalamb.
Also read: NMC confiscates 117 PoP idols, collects Rs 10,000 fine from seller
Nagpur News
Nagpur: Married man accused of girlfriend’s rape commits suicide on Facebook live
A 38-year-old married man named Manish alias Raj Yadav, on Sunday, committed suicide during a Facebook live-stream after allegedly being accused of rape by his girlfriend and her family in Nagpur.
During the live stream, Manish, who was married and a father to three children, stated that his 19-year-old girlfriend, Kajal, along with her family members demanded a sum of five lakh rupees and threatened to press charges of rape if he failed to do so.
On September 6, the situation became grave as the woman’s family accused him of eloping after Kajal went missing from her residence.
The deceased refused the claims of having any sexual relationship with the woman and identified her, her family, and a photo studio operator responsible for his condition. He, then, jumped into the river.
After the live video surfaced online, Kalamna Police launched a search operation and recovered the deceased’s body from the river. Four people have been detained in the case for questioning. Further investigation is underway.
Also read: NMC confiscates 117 PoP idols, collects Rs 10,000 fine from seller