Kathmandu, May 31: The World No Tobacco Day was observed with the theme “Tobacco kills, don’t be duped” here.

A morning rally organised by the Ministry of Health in this connection was initiated by Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol.

The rally with musical band and banners and placards against tobacco which started from the Exhibition Road passed through Putali Sadak, Bagh Bazaar, Ratna Park, Ason, Indrachowk, Juddha Sadak and converged into a mass meeting at Basantapur square.

On the occasion, Minister of State for Health Dangol said that consumption of tobacco had been claiming the life of about four million people world-wide and the diseases of hundreds of thousands of people was also attributed to it. Billions of rupees were spent on the treatment of tobacco-related diseases, he added.

Mr Dangol said that HMG has always been alert, conscious and active in discouraging the consumption of tobacco and its products.

Director of the National Health Information and Communications Centre Laxmi Raman Ban expressed happiness over being able to organise awareness raising programmes against smoking.

He also expressed the centre’s commitment to take such programmes to various villages. President of the National front against the consumption of tobacco Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey said that it was not sufficient to hold programmes against tobacco for only one day and the campaign against it should be carried out throughout the year.

President of Nepal Anubrat Committee Hulas Chandra Golchha and Brahmakumari Kushan of Brahmakumari Rajyog referred to the various adverse effects of tobacco and called upon all concerned to raise awareness against it.

A street play entitled “Yamaraj” was also staged by Nisani Natya Troupe on the occasion.