Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
GUWAHATI: The much awaited Zero Music Festival, known for celebrating music, culture and sustainability since its inception in 2012, kicked off this year amid a cloud of controversy. Attracting over 15,000 attendees from across India and the world, the festival has long been a platform for showcasing indigenous talent and indie music. However, this year’s event drew outrage for its decision to allow the sale and promotion of tobacco products, seemingly contradicting the festival’s environmentally friendly ethos.
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At the festival, which took place between September 26 and 29, a smoking lounge sponsored by Philip Morris India was established. This lounge allowed for the sale, promotion and consumption of tobacco products, with only Marlboro cigarettes available for purchase. The presence of this lounge quickly drew criticism from various quarters, especially for its conflict with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2003, which strictly prohibits the advertising of tobacco products, a law that is also enforced in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
On September 26, GPlus broke the story, revealing growing discontent among local communities, NGOs and public health advocates about the smoking lounge at the Zero Festival. The concerns centered mainly on the festival’s failure to uphold its commitment to sustainability, while promoting material that poses significant risks to public health. The critics claim that the organizers of the festival not only violated the legal norms but also endangered the safety of the youth participating in the event.
"This is a blatant disregard for the law and a threat to the health of our youth." said a local activist. "The organizers of the festival failed to meet their commitment to the sustainability and well-being of the community." Public health experts have echoed these concerns, highlighting the impact of tobacco marketing, particularly on younger audiences.
On September 27, the Apatani Youth Association (AYA) and the Apatani Students’ Union (ASU) filed a complaint with the police calling for immediate action against the organizers of the festival. The complaint accused Zero Festival of violating Section 6 of COTPA, which prohibits the direct or indirect advertising of tobacco products. In a scathing statement, the organizations condemned the festival for promoting psychotropic substances and undermining their efforts to eradicate harmful practices in the community.
The GPlus team visited the police station in Lower Subansiri district on the same day, where a senior official confirmed that steps had been taken to address the issue. "The matter was settled after discussions with the organizers, and the advertisements were removed." said the clerk.
The controversy took a further turn on September 28, when Toku Sheetal, a representative of the Ghana Soraksha party, filed a formal complaint against the organizers, accusing them of allowing the illegal promotion of Marlboro, a foreign tobacco company. In the complaint, Sheetal emphasized the contradiction between the festival’s mission to promote sustainability and his decision to host a tobacco lounge. The complaint further detailed the organizers’ agreement with Philip Morris India, under which the company was allocated an area of ​​1,600 square meters in exchange for sponsorship.
As the situation worsened, festival critics and local authorities continued to press for action. On September 29, after several complaints, the smoking lounge was finally closed by the police, which marked a victory for those who opposed the promotion of tobacco.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://guwahatiplus.com/northeast/tobacco-stall-controversy-mars-ziro-music-festival-closed-after-protest
