Ampati, August 06: The South West Garo Hills emerged as one of the top-performing districts in Meghalaya’s largest-ever anti-tobacco awareness campaign, making a significant contribution to the state-wide World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2026 initiative under the theme “Tobacco! Business of DEATH.”
The campaign, organised under the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) initiative, saw participation from 9,312 schools, 55 colleges and over six lakh students across Meghalaya, generating more than 54 lakh community signatures in support of a tobacco-free society.
South West Garo Hills distinguished itself through outstanding grassroots mobilisation. A total of 625 schools across the district organised anti-tobacco rallies involving 19,916 students, who reached out to communities and collected 55,448 signatures, reflecting strong public support for tobacco control.
Deputy Commissioner Anendya Raajsshre praised the coordinated efforts of the District School Education Office, District Medical Cell, Block Mission Coordinators, Block Resource Persons, Cluster Resource Coordinators, school heads and teachers for ensuring the campaign’s success.
She emphasised that initiatives such as World No Tobacco Day play a crucial role in safeguarding children and youth while spreading awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco.
District School Education Officer A.K. Sheikh said the district’s impressive participation demonstrated the commitment of schools, students and communities towards building a healthier, tobacco-free future.
Statewide, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Programme, Nabaneeta D. Mawrie, noted that tobacco claims nearly 8,000 lives annually in Meghalaya, highlighting the importance of sustained awareness programmes. State Project Director, SEMAM–Samagra Shiksha, Richa Kulkarni, said the unprecedented participation reflected Meghalaya’s collective resolve to create a tobacco-free generation.
The campaign also recognised outstanding schools with awards at the Block, District and State levels, reinforcing the message that lasting change begins with informed students and active community participation.
