MP village in WHO report

Indore, May 27 (UNI) Chinchgohan Bhairokheda village, in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district, has featured in a WHO report -- entitled 'Profile on Smoke-Free Environment in the South East Asia Region' -- for exemplary work done by its residents in making it a tobacco-free area.

The report says the villagers themselves banned use of gutkha and other tobacco products after a 40-year-old woman addicted to gutkha died of oral cancer. Forty vendors swore not to sell tobacco products and it was decided that fines would be imposed on violators.

''Denizens of neighbouring villages were also motivated by Chinchgohan's step,'' Local Government Dental College Principal B M Shrivastava said. The district administration has awarded the village.

UNI