Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
MUMBAI, INDIA, September 9, 2010: 10,000 Ganesh mandals in the city are pledging to refrain from advertising tobacco products during the 11-day festival. The success of the pledge, though, remains to be seen as mandals collectively stand to lose over US$100,000 as tobacco companies are their major sponsors.
If the mandals stick to their pledge, one would not get to see any tobacco-related advertisements, even surrogate ones, in the pandals this year. “We have already appealed to all mandals that advertisements related to gutkha, cigarettes or other tobacco products should be totally banned,” said Naresh Dahibawkar, president of Sarvajanik Ganpati Mandal Samanvay Samiti.
Dahibawkar, however, admitted that the losses for mandals could be up to 10-15% as tobacco companies provide the lion’s share of advertisements.