The State government has selected Udupi district to implement a pilot project to make residential apartments free of tobacco consumption.
The focus of the project is to make residents of apartments shun the use of tobacco voluntarily by convincing them and creating an awareness on the impact of tobacco consumption on health.
The project will be implemented by the District Surveillance Unit.
According to Udupi District Surveillance Officer Nagarathna, of the cancer cases being reported in India, 27% are due to the use of tobacco.
The use of tobacco not only impacts the health of its direct consumers but also its indirect consumers, which includes family members. Though there are restrictions on the use of tobacco, smoking has not come down to the expected level.
The objective of the project is also to create a conducive atmosphere for healthy living in apartments, she said.
Dr. Nagarathna said that a survey of tobacco consumers and non-consumers in each apartment will be carried out under the project. Later, awareness will be created among users to stop the use of tobacco.
Udupi and Manipal have many apartment complexes. Many of the families which reside in those apartments hail from different parts of the country. No activities have been taken up in those apartments to convince tobacco users to stop using it.
The District Surveillance Unit has made preparatory arrangements to identify apartments for the next level activities.
When the existing apartments are made free of tobacco consumption, there are chances that property buyers in future will demand such flats in apartments.
She said that the district administration has already declared Kodi Bengre village in Udupi taluk tobacco-free. Activities have been taken up to make Renjala village in Karkala and Korgi village in Kundapur tobacco-free in the coming days.
