Special drive to root out drug abuse next month

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 14

A holistic campaign to eradicate drug abuse will be launched by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on November 15, said Chief Secretary Shrikant Baldi, presiding over a meeting on the “Prevention of Drug Abuse and Alcoholism”.

Baldi said an effective and prominent action to check drug abuse would be taken by the line departments from November 15 to December 15.

The drug abuse was a matter of immense concern and its eradication must be tackled through the special campaign. He said the Social Justice and Empowerment Department has been appointed as the nodal department and all line departments must work in a coordinated manner for the successful implementation of the campaign.

Baldi said a strategy should be chalked out to tackle the menace which included preventive, curative, punitive, counselling, rehabilitation and mainstreaming of the issue.

He directed the authorities for the constitution of vigilance and monitoring committees at the district, subdivision, block and gram panchayat level. He said the involvement of law makers, members of civil societies, panchayati raj institutions, yuvak mandals, mahila mandals, self-help groups and NGOs must be ensured so that the campaign could reach up to the grassroot level.

He directed departments to prepare an information, education and communication strategy at the departmental level along with an activity chart for a month regarding the prevention and control of drug abuse. He also directed the DCs and SPs to provide activity calendar for carrying out the drive.

For the successful implementation of the campaign, youths and parents both should be involved, he said, adding that an orientation programme should be organised in schools. A training module should be prepared for teachers for counselling of students. The youth must be encouraged and counselled to choose life and say no to drugs.

CM’s initiative

• An effective action against drug abuse will be taken on the directives of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from Nov 15 to Dec 15
• The Social Justice and Empowerment Department has been appointed as the nodal department 
• A strategy should be chalked out to tackle the menace