C.M. Paul

Medchinagar: On the occasion of 30th anniversary of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) two international FM radio stations joined hands to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption among its listeners.

Radio Seemana 106.9 FM situated in the plains of Nepal at Medchinagar and Radio Salesian 90.8 FM Voice of the Hills from India’s Darjeeling Hills teamed up as Indo-Nepal Radio Friendship team – first time in FM radio history to launch anti tobacco campaign.

Five RJs from Radio Salesian joined five Radio Seemana RJs for a three hour live marathon show from Seemana studio in Kakrabhita border Nepal from 12 pm to 3 pm local time.

Programme Coordinator of Radio Salesian 90.8 FM the first college radio in Bengal and entire northeast india RJ Samir Chhetri lead the Indian delegation while director of popular commercial Radio Seemana RJ Rakesh Sharma led the Nepal team.
Among Seemana RJs in the programme were: Saroj Tamang, Mamta Adhikary, Radhika Karki, Rajan Thatal, Srijana Raim and Rakesh Thapa.

The Indian team included RJs Samir Chhetri, Sagar Rai, Regina Rai, Smriti Rai, Diskhit Tamang, and Moses Tamang.
Seemana Station Director Mr Rakesh Thapa says, “The friendship programme should continue. We need to share common topics between Radio Seemana and Radio Salesian.”

To begin with Mr Thapa suggested that “each station share to broadcast one hour program each week.”

Senior most RJ at Seemana Mr Kendra Prashad Bhattarai who hosts Pharkera Hera (Down Memory Lane) a prime time show each Wednesday says, “We should continue this Indo-Nepal friendship program. Our People’s language and culture are one. We are not different. We are brothers and sisters in the one human family.”

The anti tobacco day program drew attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and its negative health effects, which currently lead to nearly 6 million deaths each year worldwide, including 600,000 of which are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. END