On World No-Tobacco Day, Vedanta Aluminium sensitizes communities against tobacco consumption

Lanjigarh: Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, sensitized local communities on the health impacts of tobacco consumption on World No-Tobacco Day.

While the adverse effects of consuming tobacco are well documented, millions continue to be affected by it each year. This is due to the general lack of awareness among tobacco users about its far-reaching consequences on their health and productivity.

Vedanta Lanjigarh held an awareness session at the Upper Primary School in Champadiepur, today, in line with the theme ‘tobacco is killing us and our planet’. Community members, including school children, participated in the two-hour session, whichhighlighted the variousrisks associated with tobacco use and the detrimental impact of tobacco cultivation on the environment.The awareness session was followed by apublic rally featuring the enthusiastic participation of the students and community members.

Speaking about the initiative, GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, said, “We are working on multiple fronts to bring about a positive transformation in the quality of life of Lanjigarh’s residents. Our deep interventions in community health continue to impact thousands every year. The anti-tobacco campaignbrings together local government, community leaders and decision makers in participative action to drive sensitization on the ill-effects of tobacco. The initiative seeks to enhancehealth outcomes through a preventive approach, while also inducing a wider behavioral change focusing on a definite reduction in the consumption of tobacco.”

Addressing the gathering, Dr Akshay Sahoo, Chief Medical Officer of Vedanta Hospital at Lanjigarh, said “Tobacco consumption is an addiction that affects not just its consumers, but also their loved ones who need to deal with its devastating consequences in the long term. This awareness session aims at sharing this message with young students and community members early in life so that they can avoid developing this habit and proactively make positive choices about their health. ”The Vedanta Hospital is a state-of-the-art multispecialty facility at Lanjigarh (Kalahandi), provides medical care to 60,000 residents from nearby villages.