J&K Chief Justice calls for collaborative efforts to fight drug abuse
Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Tashi Rabstan, on Wednesday called for a collaborated and integrated approach in fighting the drug menace in the two Union Territories.
Speaking at a seminar on drug abuse organised by the J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu, in collaboration with the Criminologists Society of J&K at the Lawyers’ Chambers here, Justice Rabstan urged the legal fraternity to also contribute to the fight.
He emphasised that the new criminal laws will be instrumental in creating deterrence.
The Chief Justice said during his tenure as chairperson of the State Legal Services Authority, he wants to start programmes to aware students in schools and colleges through “nukkad nataks”, skits and drama in addition to panel discussions with lawyers.
“A collaborated and integrated approach is needed to fight drug menace in J&K and Ladakh,” he said at the seminar held under the Central government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
Justice Sanjeev Kumar of the J&K High Court said there are two major parties in the drug menace - the victim who consumes the illegal substance and others who grow and peddle it.
He advocated counselling and alternate therapies for the victims and suggested punishment as deterrence for the peddlers.
Criminologists Society president Rameshwar Singh Jamwal also spoke at the event and sought the support of senior judiciary to deal with the issue effectively. He highlighted the yogic and meditational techniques piloted by the Criminologists Society in the District Jail Jammu which have yielded 75% encouraging results.
Principal District and Session Judge Jammu, Yash Pal Bourney, Registrar Judicial, Sandeep Kour, Principal Secretary to Chief Justice, MK Sharma and a large number of Judicial Officers, Prosecution Officers and Advocates participated in the seminar.
