Study Conducted By
Rajasthan Voluntary Health Association

Supported by
Voluntary Health Association of India

Date:     28/07/2009
Venue:    Pink City Press Club, Jaipur

Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) in collaboration with Rajasthan Voluntary Health Association (RVHA) successfully released the Air Quality Monitoring Study in Bars and Restaurants of Jaipur City at Pink City Press Club, Jaipur. The study was released in a press conference amidst presence of over 25 journalists, both from the print and electronic media.

RVHA, Programme Coordinator, Narendra Singh welcomed all the guests and media participants. The conference kicked off with a panel discussion of experts which included Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Chairman, Rajasthan Cancer Foundation, Dr. Virender Singh, HOD, Department of Chest, SMS Medical College and Hospital and Dr. K.K. Bajaj, CMHO, Jaipur. It was followed by one to one interaction between the speakers and journalists most of which were senior & experienced and have been consistently writing on tobacco issues on a regular basis.

Earlier, Rajasthan Voluntary Health Association (RVHA) conducted Indoor Air Quality Study in 13 public places in Rajasthan in the month of April and May 2009. In the study, it was found that eight locations permitted indoor smoking while the rest five locations were smoke-free and did not allow indoor smoking.

While speaking to the media, RVHA Programme Coordinator, Narendra Singh informed that it was found that the average level of fine particle indoor air pollution in the eight locations that permit indoor smoking is hazardous as the PM2.5 level was 694 µg/m3. In the smoke-free locations, the fine particle indoor air pollution was 97% lower and the PM2.5 level was 21 µg/m3.

Dr. Virender Singh, HOD, Department of Chest, SMS Medical College and Hospital said that (PM2.5 is particulate matter in the air smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter). The particles of this size are released in significant amounts from burning cigarettes which are easily inhaled deep into the lungs and can cause a variety of adverse health effects including cardiovascular and respiratory disease and even death in some cases.

Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Chairman, Rajasthan Cancer Foundation spoke on the implementation of smoke free laws and the various aspects of pictorial health warnings. He also mentioned about the role of the media in tobacco control and said that the media has a very important role in helping in the enforcement of the laws.

The publications which carried the stories compared the air quality in smoking bars and restaurants with the most busy and polluted (in terms of air quality) area of Jaipur - Ajmeri Gate and reported that the air quality in the smoking joints were hazardous in every terms.

The electronic media Voice of India (VOI), E.T.V, Bhaskar TV, Patrika TV, and DD I highlighted the event in their news headlines.

Rajasthan Voluntary Health Association (RVHA) also developed a comprehensive press kit for the journalists which included a summary of the findings, the press release and fact sheets.

After the event, the media interacted with the experts and raised several concerns. The press conference was concluded with a vote of thanks by Programme Coordinator, RVHA with a request to media and administration representative work together to make the Pink City – Jaipur, Smoke Free.