While the Dasara festivities have taken off on a grand scale this year after two years of low-key celebrations, the Anti Tobacco Forum has called for declaring this year’s Dasara “Tobacco-free Mysuru Dasara”.
Convenor of the Forum, Mysuru, Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, said such a move will not only protect non-smokers from the noxious fumes of cigarettes and bidis, but also keep the city’s environs healthy and clean by warning gutkha and other chewing tobacco product users that they should not spit and dirty the city.
“It is necessary to make visitors aware that smoking aggravates COVID-19 and other diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, blood pressure, heart problems etc”, he said while pointing out that the COTPA 2003 rules against use of cigarettes and other tobacco products makes it incumbent on the part of citizens to desist from smoking in public places like markets, tourist spots, temples etc. Violators will be penalised and punished, he added.
