Parents of drug addicts in border areas face mental, financial distress

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, September 15

Parents of drug addicts residing in the inter-state border areas in lower Kangra district, especially in Nurpur and Indora subdivisions, are reeling under severe mental agony as their wards are not only ruining their own lives, but also causing a huge financial loss to them.

Their savings and immovable properties have been spent in meeting the drug (heroin) requirements of their wards. Even after exhausting their savings, some parents are facing the rebellious behaviour of their addicted children.

The brutal murder of an elderly couple by a drug addict at Kopra village near Nurpur last month has added to the woes of the hapless parents whose wards had fallen prey to drug addiction. After the ghastly incident, these parents feel unsafe in their own houses.

An interaction with some of the parents of addicts in the Indora and Nurpur subdivisions reveals their sordid life. Fed up with the addiction of their wards, these parents have appealed to the state government to come to their rescue by providing them facilities of drug de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centres in the government sector.

Though there are some ill-equipped private centres being run by people from Punjab in this border area, they are beyond the reach of poor families.

As per enquiries, a drug addict gets heroin (chitta) from drug peddlers by paying Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per gram. Owing to scarce availability of chitta and an abnormal hike in its rates, the young drug addicts have started taking this dangerous drug through injections.

A retired government employee from Indora village said he has not only exhausted his savings, but also sold his property to meet the demands of his lone drug-addicted son.

Another retired government employee from Sahora village is upset over his married son’s (45) addiction to synthetic drugs. His son, who too was in government service, has left his job. The addict has sold many household items in order to buy heroin from peddlers.

A widow from Mand area is passing through the same trauma as his son (40) has also fallen prey to heroin addiction. She has even lodged a police complaint against him for beating her when she asks him not to consume drugs. An aged man and his wife near Athara Bridge were severely beaten by their son when they lodged a complaint against him with the local police.

Want drug de-addiction centres

Fed up with the addiction of their wards, these parents have appealed to the state government to come to their rescue by providing them facilities of drug de-addiction-cum-rehabilitation centres in the government sector. Though some ill-equipped private centres are being run by people from Punjab in this border area, they are beyond the reach of poor families.

#Kangra #Nurpur