CHENNAI: Avadi Police Commissioner K Shankar inaugurated an initiative titled ‘100 yards’, aimed at preventing the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of schools in their jurisdiction.

On Monday, Commissioner K Shankar administered a pledge to school students at a government school near Pattabiram.

He explained to students about the ills of tobacco usage and appealed to them to stay away from tobacco products and drugs. Students were also made aware of the government’s ‘Drug Free Tamil Nadu app’.

Later, Commissioner Shankar, senior police officers and school students marched holding placards depicting slogans against tobacco products and appealed to shopkeepers near school zones to not sell cigarettes and other oral tobacco products.

On Monday, the initiative was undertaken at 50 schools in the jurisdiction and would be extended to 200 more government and government-aided schools within the Avadi police jurisdiction in the next three days, police said.