Farmers being encouraged to stop growing tobacco

NT Correspondent
Mysuru

With a view to make the cultural city of Mysuru free from cancer and tuberculosis, the HCG Bharath Cancer Hospital has chalked out a plan to make the tobacco growing farmers to switch over to other crops.
Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, Dr B.S. Ajaikumar, chairman and Managing Director of the Hospital, said since tobacco is grown largely in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district, the Hospital had distributed the saplings of other crops including sandalwood to take wean them from tobacco cultivation.
Over 50 farmers had opted for the switchover offer. They were now growing seasonal fruits and earning handsome profit. Dr Ajaikumar said every year, 1.3 crore die across the globe due to tobacco consumption and most of them were cancer patients.
According to an Atlas report, 1.1 billion people were smokers in the entire world and over 200 million people were tobacco users. By 2030, it is estimated that around eight million people in the world may die of cancer due to smoking, he said.
Farmers, Kenchegowda from Tippur, Ravindragowda and others who spoke said they have saved themselves from cancer by switching over from tobacco to other crops. 
The seasonal fruits grown by them were fetching good profit. Other tobacco growers must also quit tobacco cultivation and start growing other crops, they added.