Kerala’s first tobacco-free gram panchayat: How Keezhmad achieved the milestone

A small village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district has become the first in the state to be officially declared tobacco-free after a nine-month community campaign.

Keezhmad gram panchayat achieved the distinction through a joint effort involving the local self-government body, the Health Department and community volunteers. Local self-help groups also played a key role in mobilising residents and supporting the campaign.

Keezhmad scores 144 out of 150

The tobacco-free status was awarded after Keezhmad underwent an assessment based on guidelines prescribed by the Central Government.

The gram panchayat scored 144 out of a possible 150 marks. It met 48 of the prescribed criteria, while two criteria were not fully satisfied.

Ajith Kumar, Chairman of the Health and Education Standing Committee of the gram panchayat, said people were still found smoking in public places and cigarette and beedi butts were found on roads.

“We complied with 48 of the prescribed criteria and failed to meet only two. The first was that people were still found smoking in public places, and the second was that used cigarette and beedi butts were found on the roads. It was because of these two criteria that we scored 144 out of 150 marks, as each criterion carries three marks. Accordingly, the panchayat has been declared a tobacco-free gram panchayat,” he said.

Nine-month campaign brings community together

The achievement followed nine months of sustained work rather than a one-off campaign.

The gram panchayat and Health Department worked together on awareness and enforcement activities, while Kudumbashree members and other community groups helped take the campaign to households across the area.

Dhanya, an accountant at Kudumbashree, said its members had extended their full support to the initiative.

“Keezhamad Grama Panchayat was declared the first smoke-free Grama Panchayat. This initiative received wholehearted support from all the Kudumbashree members,” she said.

Schools targeted to protect children

A major part of the campaign focused on preventing tobacco use among children and young people.

Health officials visited schools in the area and conducted inspections to check whether students, particularly minors, were using tobacco products. Where cases were identified, officials organised awareness programmes and other educational activities.

Panchayat President Saju said the sustained involvement of the gram panchayat and Health Department had helped the initiative address the issue at the local level.

“Our Grama Panchayat and health department have worked very diligently over the past nine months. Our health officials have directly visited schools and conducted inspections to check whether school-going children, particularly minors, are smoking. Wherever we found any such cases, we conducted awareness programmes and related activities to educate them and create awareness among them,” he said.

Tobacco products seized during inspections

The campaign also involved enforcement measures.

Joint inspections by the local authorities and the Excise Department resulted in the seizure and destruction of banned tobacco products found in the area.

The measures were carried out alongside the awareness campaign, with the focus extending from public places and households to educational institutions.

Keezhmad has also recorded other public health achievements in recent years. Before being declared tobacco-free, the village had received the TB-free village award for two consecutive years.