Beware! DU’s a no-smoking zone

It was reported last year that smoking is rampant in Delhi University (DU), but this year, administrators of various colleges are asserting that their campus is a smoke-free zone. From appointing a nodal officer to forming a no-smoking brigade of students, colleges have taken the cause quite seriously.

It was reported last year that smoking is rampant in Delhi University (DU), but this year, administrators of various colleges are asserting that their campus is a smoke-free zone. From appointing a nodal officer to forming a no-smoking brigade of students, colleges have taken the cause quite seriously.

A glimpse of the strong ‘no smoking diktat’ was given to the freshers at the time of orientation itself. “Along with informing the students of the implications of smoking on campus, we have put out posters and notices all around the college,” says Ajay K Singh, nodal officer, Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics. Also, seniors will be enlisted to ensure that the fuchchas don’t get a chance to light up.

Apart from the regular steps, some colleges have taken other initiatives to ensure a stricter implementation of the rule. “We have had talks, workshops, volunteer programmes telling students about the ill health effects of smoking. We’re also planning to organise street plays to highlight the issue,” says Dr Vijay Kumar, NSS incharge and member of disciplinary committee, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences.

College principals say that they have not found any case of smoking on campus since the new session has begun. “We’ve handed over a special handbook to students that mentions the rules related to smoking on campus,” says I S Bakshi, principal, Dyal Singh College. “If someone is caught smoking, we are authorised by the university to slap a fine upto R200 after a couple of warnings,” he adds.“There has been no such case in our college. The anti-smoking committees have been quite active,” says Rajendra Prasad, principal, Ramjas College.

Anti-smoking Measures and Posters across campus announcing that DU is a smoke-free campus.Freshers to be fined upto R200 if caught smoking on campus.Freshers’ orientation programmes included no-smoking talks, workshops and street plays to educate them.

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