AMPATI : More than 19,900 students from 625 schools in South West Garo Hills took part in anti-tobacco rallies during Meghalaya’s World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2026 campaign, collecting 55,448 signatures in support of a tobacco-free society.
The district was among the leading contributors to the statewide campaign held under the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) initiative. Across Meghalaya, 9,312 schools, 55 colleges and more than six lakh students participated, collecting over 54 lakh signatures under the theme “Tobacco! Business of DEATH.”
According to officials, students organised awareness rallies in villages and towns across South West Garo Hills, encouraging people to support the campaign against tobacco use.
Deputy Commissioner Anendya Raajsshre thanked the District School Education Office, District Medical Cell, Block Mission Coordinators, Block Resource Persons, Cluster Resource Coordinators, school heads and teachers for helping organise the campaign.
She said awareness programmes such as World No Tobacco Day help educate children and young people about the harmful effects of tobacco and encourage healthier lifestyles.District School Education Officer A.K. Sheikh said the large participation by schools and students reflected strong community support for the campaign.
At the state level, State Nodal Officer, National Tobacco Control Programme, Nabaneeta D. Mawrie, said tobacco is responsible for nearly 8,000 deaths every year in Meghalaya, highlighting the need for continued public awareness.
State Project Director, SEMAM–Samagra Shiksha, Richa Kulkarni, said the campaign recorded participation from thousands of educational institutions across the state, making it one of Meghalaya’s largest anti-tobacco awareness drives.
Schools that performed well during the campaign were recognised with awards at the Block, District and State levels.