Assam's Morigaon district bans use of 'gutka-pan masala' during Durga Puja celebrations

Morigaon District Magistrate Devashish Sharma, in a move to promote public health, has ordered all Durga Puja mandaps in the district to be declared "Tobacco Free Zones." The directive, issued on October 8, aims to create a healthier environment for festival-goers during the celebrations.

The order prohibits the sale and consumption of all tobacco products, including gutka, zarda, khaini, pan masala, bidi, and cigarettes, inside and in the vicinity of puja mandaps. This decision aligns with Section 4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act of 2003, which bans smoking and tobacco use in public places.

Puja committees are required to display two banners declaring their mandaps as tobacco-free zones - one at the entrance and another inside the premises. The District Magistrate emphasised the importance of community cooperation in implementing this initiative.

"Looking forward to the kind cooperation of all puja committees in making each and every Durga Puja mandap a 'Tobacco Free Zone,'" Sharma stated in the order.