Unite or perish: Himachal HC judges sound alarm over drug abuse

Stand against drug abuse or neither society nor the future will survive, everything will be destroyed. This was stated by Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority, while addressing a gathering at a legal literacy camp organised here on Saturday. He added that if society does not unite against the rising problem of drug abuse, the very fabric of families, communities and the nation will collapse.

Justice Thakur said there is an urgent need for self-introspection to eliminate this grave issue. He urged that even if some families are currently unaffected, their children may fall prey in the future. He emphasised that value-based education for children is essential and that change must begin at the individual and family levels. He called on every citizen to contribute, drawing a parallel with the “squirrel in the Ramayana” who played its part in building the bridge.

Justice Virendra Singh highlighted that drug addiction is not merely a crime but also the root cause of several other offences. He stressed that prevention is not solely the government’s responsibility. Himachal Pradesh, known as Devbhumi, is severely affected, with 1,714 cases registered under the NDPS Act across the state this year. Even the smallest and most literate district has recorded 84 such cases so far. Recognising this, the State Legal Services Authority has launched a special initiative to organise district-level legal literacy camps as directed by NALSA.

Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj also shared his views on the drug problem and environmental protection, underscoring the need to prioritise conservation alongside development.

Earlier, Bhupnesh Awasthi, District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority, extended a warm welcome to the chief guest. Additional District and Sessions Judge Sachin Raghu expressed gratitude to all attendees.

Deputy Commissioner Amarjeet Singh, Superintendent of Police Bhagat Singh Thakur, ASP Rajesh Kumar, along with officials from the district administration and members of the bar association, were also present on the occasion.