Anti-Tobacco Forum seeks tobacco-free Mysuru Dasara 2026 to protect non-smokers
Mysuru's big Dasara festival in 2026 might go completely tobacco-free if the Anti-Tobacco Forum gets its way.
With huge crowds expected, forum leader Vasanthkumar Mysoremath says banning tobacco will help protect non-smokers and keep the city cleaner during the celebrations.
Anti-Tobacco forum urges billboards, fines, education
The forum wants to put up bold anti-tobacco billboards at highways and tourist spots, and bring celebrities to Yuva Dasara events to get young people on board.
They're also pushing for officials to actually enforce smoking bans with fines and warnings.
Plus, there's a focus on teaching everyone about how cigarette waste harms the environment.
As Mysoremath puts it, "The messages should also create awareness on how discarded cigarette filters made of non-bio degradable cellulose acetate contaminate water bodies with toxics and how they pollute the environment."