Jorhat, Jan. 16: Garmur Higher Secondary School in Majuli will become the first tobacco-free educational institution on the river island after the Jorhat District Tobacco Control Cell officially declares it on Republic Day.

On January 26, the cell will declare a total of 11 educational institutions tobacco-free, including two colleges — N.N. Saikia College at Titabar and Bahona College here, taking the total number of such institutions to 23.

The cell’s nodal officer, Bhaktimoy Bhattacharjee, who is also the senior district medical and health officer, told The Telelgraph that the Republic Day function, to be held at Court Field here, had been chosen for the announcement with an aim to highlight the issue among other educational institutions to encourage them to follow suit.

He said last year, five educational institutions, including two colleges, were officially declared tobacco-free on Republic Day and Madrassa-E-Ehya-Uloom Wajidiya Hifzkhana in Raja Maidam area here became the first religious institute in the state to become tobacco-free on Independence Day.

Bhattacharjee said about 600 students and about 20 teachers of the Garmur Higher Secondary School had shown interest in making the school a tobacco-free zone, adding that though the cell had selected another school on the island for the purpose, it did not perform satisfactorily in this regard.

Garmur Higher Secondary School headmistress Minati Saikia said the proposed official declaration was a matter of honour for the school and was expected to encourage other schools on the island.

Majuli sub-divisional officer (civil) Krishna Baruah said it would be a positive development and was expected to help preserve the pristine atmosphere of the island, housing xatras that make it the seat of Vaishnavite culture and heritage. The island is also a dry area.

Bhattacharjee said an awareness drive was being carried out in all 11 institutions over the past 10 months. He said students, teachers and other staff of the schools were being counselled by tobacco cell membersto give up consumption of tobacco and its products.

The nodal officer said the cell had targeted 25 institutions, but had decided to declare only 11 tobacco-free, as others needed more time.

Special sessions were also held with parents to abstain from tobacco.

A committee, comprising eminent citizens of the area, headmasters/principals of schools/colleges and health officials, had been formed to supervise the implementation of the plan.

Bhattacharjee said tobacco products would not be allowed within 100 yards of the schools in accordance with the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, and added that teachers and students would be administered an oath for not consuming tobacco and related products.

Charaibahi Higher Secondary School here was the first school in the state to be declared tobacco-free in September 2009.

The Jorhat cell, having the deputy commissioner as its chairman, is one of the 42 district cells in the country under the National Tobacco Control Programme.