Mangalore: Awareness Campaign Held at Kadri Park Ahead of ‘No Tobacco Day’
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (CN)
Mangalore, May 30: A ‘No Tobacco’ campaign was organized at Kadri Park at 4 pm by the Rotary Club Mangalore, Nehru Youth Center, Mangalore, Center of Integrated Learning (C I L), Mangalore, and Rotary Club Mangalore Sunrise to create awareness amongst the public about the harm caused by tobacco.
The event started with a procession by college students, school students, and club members holding hoardings with paintings depicting the dangers posed by consumption of tobacco. They followed a troop of drummers, marching round the park and catching the attention of the public and continued with a welcome song.
Blanny Fernandes, president, Rotary Club, Mangalore Sunrise, welcomed the gathering and the guests Dr Ravish Thunga, Dr Devadas Rai, chairman, Rotary Club Mangalore, Mariat D’Silva, principal of Fr Muller Nursing College, and Sachitha Nandagopal, director, CIL, were the chief guests of the programme.
Dinesh Kodialbail, president, Rotaract Club Mangalore city, Girish, secretary, Rotaract Club Mangalore city, and Hemacharya, editor-in-chief, Daijiworld Weekly, actively participated in the programme.
Dr Thunga explained the negative effects of tobacco including those of smoking and chewing of tobacco products.
He said that it starts with curiosity and ends with a dangerous disease like lung cancer, bronchitis, coronary artery block, and many other diseases which can cause death.
Dr Thunga added that psychological problems like depression may also occur so one must say no to tobacco smoking and chewing. He emphasized on the need to follow up with anti-smoking efforts instead of just bringing it to the fore on this one day.
World Health Organization (WHO) observes No Tobacco Day on May 31 annually and the awareness programme was organized on Sunday as it would attract more people.
Street plays were put up by the NSS Unit of students from Fr Muller’s College of Nursing as well as the NGO ‘Nelle’ to reiterate the message of the dangers of tobacco usage. Carol, a small child from CIL, gave the vote of thanks.