No smoking on campus

Delhi University is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that freshers get the message: No Smoking On Campus.

Delhi University is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that freshers get the message: No Smoking On Campus. Take a walk through north campus and you just can’t miss it. There’s a bold notice outside Hindu College that reads, ‘Welcome in Hindu College. No Smoking’. Delhi School of Economics (D-school) has put up their warning sign outside the most popular hangout place in their vicinity — JP Tea Stall. Besides this, there are constant reminders that the sale of tobacco is prohibited inside university premises and within 100 yards of the campus.

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“As part of Delhi University’s Smoke-free Initiative, the World Lung Foundation got these boards put up in all the colleges in north campus. New students will be joining soon and this is one of the efforts to make them conscious about the effects of smoking.

The ill effects of smoking will also form a part of the orientation programme,” says Dr SK Srivastava, DUSFI, nodal officer of Hansraj College. DU students do agree that boards as these deter students from smoking inside the college premises. “‘No smoking’ signboards make students conscious and most of them avoid smoking inside the campus. But in D-school, this is not followed and students sit underneath that board of No Smoking and smoke cigarettes,” says Akash Verma, a first year student of Hindu College.

Rules in place
Delhi University was declared a “no smoking zone” in 2006. Offenders caught smoking inside the campus are fined Rs 200. Repeat offenders can be fined up to Rs500. Smoking dens have been identified in DU and are monitored to ensure that students do not smoke here.