Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 86/23

MEGHALAYA POWERFUL STEPS AGAINST TOBACCO USE WNTD 23 CAMPAIGN A BIG SUCCESS

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) observed on 31st May every year globally is a powerful reminder that we all need to fight against tobacco and protect our citizens, especially children. NTCP Meghalaya and the Education Department in collaboration with Sambandh Health Foundation ran a successful WNTD campaign this year which required every school to do two activities (1) rally against tobacco and (2) signature campaign. In the State, more than 4.9 lac students from more than 8,000 schools participated. Research studies indicate that when children participate in anti tobacco activities, they are more likely to avoid tobacco use.

With last year WNTD 22 campaign reaching every nook and corner of Meghalaya, this year too the State decided to do interventions which ensure childrens participation. This year theme was My Meghalaya, Tobacco free Meghalaya. Videos were made highlighting how the rivers, villages, forests and the beauty of Meghalaya was being messed up by tobacco.

Awards are given to the best schools in a Block, doing both activities, in four categories the primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary. Block Award committees were made which included officials from the Education Department, Parents, Village Headmen etc. Block level winners were considered for district level awards by a District Award Committee and district winners competed for State level awards.

Congratulating the DSEO, DMC, SDSEO, the Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills, Shri Garod LSN Dykes, IAS said that the WNTD 23 campaign is a great initiative to build a healthy generation. I am really happy that the Nodal Officer, BMCs, BRPs, CRCs, Principals and Teachers participated with full enthusiasm.

From the Department of Education, Government of Meghalaya, Jennyfer J. Synrem shared that the Departments of Health and Education, Government of Meghalaya has been implementing the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) program since 2021 in collaboration with Sambandh Health Foundation (a Gurugram-based NGO). Our state has won the prestigious World Health Organization Award 2023 in the Southeast Asia Region for WNTD activities. The DSEO, WKH informed that 968 schools had conducted rallies in the district and 52,171 students collected 842,566 signatures.

Dr Lana. L Nongbri, State Nodal Officer, NHM, said, Tobacco not only kills its best customers but also destroys our environment. This is a product that is consumed by 47 percent adults (above 15 yrs) in our State. It kills 8,000 people in Meghalaya every year. We are ensuring that we implement one of the most effective strategies, i.e, ToFEI to reduce the prevalence in the State.

In West Khasi Hills, the district winners were MADAN SOHMYLLENG RCLP in Primary category, CLING CARE (MEMO) UPS in Upper Primary, DAPBOKLANG GIRI MEMORIAL SEC SCHOOL in Secondary category and F.G.E.M. HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL in Higher Secondary category.

Press Release No. 87/23

LAUNCHING EVENT FOR STRENGTHENING OF BLOOD ECOSYSTEM IN RI BHOI DISTRICT AT NONGPOH

Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh Minister in charge of Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Meghalaya launched event for strengthening of blood ecosystem on voluntary blood donation cum awareness today the 30th May at Parish Hall Nongpoh in a midst presence of Shri Mayralborn Syiem Local MLA, Shri Sampath Kumar IAS, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department, Shri Arpit Upadhyaya IAS Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Chetan Makam, GM and SVP, TBCT, Dr H.C Lyndem Director Health Services (MI) and others.

The programme was organized by the government of Meghalaya Directorate of Health Services (R), Meghalaya AIDS Control Society, Meghalaya State Blood Transfusion Council, National Health Mission in collaboration with Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies. Others presented in the event includes officials from different line departments, doctors and nurses and blood donors.

Shri Chetan Makam, Managing Director, Terumo informed that Terumo is a mission to contribute to the society through health care. It aims is to provide with a safe and sustainable blood supply. He also informed that with the help of the government of Meghalaya, they were confident and capable to create a sustainable blood ecosystem for the state. Hence he called upon the people of the district to come forward for promoting voluntary blood donation.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh expressed her immensely pleasure to be part of an important event. She said that blood donation is when a person voluntarily gives blood for saving other person’s life. It is a vital part in life and a noble cause where everyone who donated has put his contribution to a society. She encouraged the youth of the district to come forward without hesitation for donating blood and always should be leading in the front to encourage others. she also informed that blood donation not only save the lives of patients who requires blood but it can also save the lives of the donors because by donating blood, it drained the old blood and refilled with a new one, moreover, by donating blood they also have the opportunity to know about their health status. She also stressed on the urgent need for behavioral change in the district as well as in the state as a whole to educate communities through awareness that donating blood is harmless to health and any hesitation, fear psychosis prevailing in the community about blood donation should be removed and it is the need of the hour that people should understand about the importance of the blood and the benefit of blood donation such as safety, adequate and timely access to blood.

She also informed that the state government will be going to partner with the capable business who knows the business of how to bolster the blood ecosystem and also to counter the blood scarcity in the state. Hence she called upon people and encouraged them to voluntary blood donors not only to their relatives or love ones but also to donate for the communities.

Press Release No. 88/23

REVIEW METTING ON ONE NATION ONE RATION CARD, AADHAAR SEEDING, E-POS USAGE ETC

A review meeting was chaired by the Minister In-charge Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Shri Comingone Ymbon, and Shri Pravin Bakshi, Commissioner and Secretary, Consumer Affairs Department in Pinewood Hotel Shillong and attended by Department officials along with DCs/SDOs today, the 30 th May, 2023. The meeting was held to assess various initiatives undertaken by the Department like One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), Aadhaar seeding, electronic Point of Sale (e POS) usage, capturing of all FPS GPS Coordinates for route optimization and tracking of movement of food grains across Meghalaya, etc.

The One Nation One Ration Card has been implemented in the state to enable NFSA beneficiaries to lift their foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop in the state or country provided their Aadhaar number is seeded in the PDS database. To ensure transparency and accountability, electronic Point-of-Sale has been installed in each Fair Price Shop across the State. The Minister urged the officials to take note of the usage of ePOS machines by the Fair Price Shop dealers so that each beneficiary gets his entitlement without fail and also to ensure 100 percent Aadhaar enrolment so that there is no cut of allocation. The Minister also commended the Department for piloting the online tracking of movement of foodgrains in East Khasi Hills as this will help prevent diversion in the near future.

Press Release No. 89/23

GERMAN MP FLORIAN MULLER VISITS NESAC, LEARNS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENTAL INITIATIVES

The German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Party Member of Parliament, Florian Müller, as part of his five days visit to the State on Tuesday visited the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) at Nongsder, Umiam Umroi, Ri Bhoi District. MP Müller was welcomed by the Director of NESAC, Dr. S. P. Aggarwal, and given a quick tour of the campus of NESAC.

Later, a discussion was held along with the scientists of NESAC in which a detailed discussion on its functioning was held. The scientists talked about the Disaster Management Support, Flood Early Warning Systems (FLEWS), Forest Fire Monitoring, Landslides and Thunderstorm Nowcasting at NESAC.

In 2009, NESAC initiated Flood Early Warning System for Assam on a pilot basis for Lakhimpur. Presently, it is operationalized for all the districts of Assam. The team from NESAC sends warnings via SMS, emails and broadcastings to the general public. The MP lauded the efforts put by the team at NESAC in helping general public in combatting natural calamities.

The team of scientists from NESAC discussed about Remote Sensing and GIS and Geosciences. One of the sub divisions, established under Remote Sensing and GIS division of NESAC in the year 2000, provides professional training to state departments dealing with earth sciences applications, such as mineral exploration, engineering geological survey and mapping for tunnels and dams, road network alignment, GNSS Surveying and groundwater exploration.

The team also discussed on the Satellite Communication Applications, which undertake developmental communication programmes in the North Eastern Region (NER) to assist in education, health, social welfare and other developmental activities. After the discussion session, a quick question and answer session was held between the MP and the team of scientists.