University Grants Commission asked universities and colleges to organise awareness programmes about the problems that come with spitting in public.

In a letter to the Vice-Chancellors of universities across the country, UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said that the government of India had initiated a campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the prevalent problem of spitting. The objective was to induce people to raise their voice against this social problem and enhance administrative measures to stop people from spitting in public. Rampant spitting was spreading communicable diseases, including serious ailments like TB. Spitting in public places was a sickening sight that most of us witness every day, he added.

He further said that the youth can take an active part in raising awareness among the public. Activities like rallies, public education events on the subject, sponsoring anti-spitting campaigns that prohibited spitting, littering, vandalism, damaging greenery, smoking in public places may be conducted. The college NSS wing can also take up an initiative in this regard. Posters and stickers linking spitting to health problems, especially those related to tobacco consumption, may also be put up in the campuses, he said.

Requesting V-Cs to make all concerned aware of the aspects of this malady, he asked them to take necessary urgent steps on the points suggested above in their universities and in all the colleges affiliated to their universities.