Bhubaneswar: In a significant development Orissa government has decided to impose ban on smoking on campuses of schools and colleges. This was said by health minister Prasanna Acharya.  Health minister Acharya says, apart from the law, a public awareness is also necessary to implement such thing. We are going to launch a campaign in this regard soon. According to Acharya, the law to ban smoking in educational institutions would be put into effect from this month and the enforcement squad would ensure its proper implementation.

State health department has been sent a notification to school and mass education department on Thursday. Ban would be imposed on sale of tobacco within 100 yards from schools in the state. Moreover, a tobacco control committee headed by either school headmaster or a teacher would be constituted for the strict implementation of the rule. The committee shall monitor the tobacco control initiatives and report to the district administration.