CM Biren urge for collective effort against drug

-launches  “Nisha Thadoklasi” campaign

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, June 26, 2018: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh said, “A collective effort is needed to curb the drug menace in the state and let us take the pledge to save our future generation from drug abuse and building a drug free society.”

Biren was at the observation of “International Day Against Drug abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 2018” and launching of “Nisha Thadoklasi” campaign (anti-drug use campaign) held at auditorium hall of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal East on Tuesday.

The government is drafting a state drug policy and is almost at its final stage. Any suggestions, advices and opinions are very much welcome, he added. Since the first day of the present government, we are working towards curbing the drug menace in the state. The government has already initiated a state wide campaign on war against drugs. He maintained that the present government is committed to work for the welfare of the people and for the state.

Mentioning some of the major achievements of the present Government in War against Drugs, Biren said around 1853 acres of poppy plantation amounting to Rs. 130 crores were destroyed in the last one year. Altogether 222 cases relating to drugs and other illegal psychotropic substance were registered, 264 persons were arrested, he added. 10 kgs of heroin, 1645 kgs of Ganja, 78 kgs of opium, 22 kgs of opium seeds, 6 kgs of brown sugar, 5900 nos of N10 tablets, 8,86,880 nos of WY tablets etc. were seized. Such achievements were made possible with the love and support of the people.

There would be no way forward for the future generation if we don’t act at this hour. The government will not spare any anti-social people regardless of their connection with any political party, said the chief minister.

He stated that due to the drug and alcohol abuse, the approximate number of widows in the State is about 15,000. In a survey conducted in 2017, there are a total of 36,000 drug abuse victims wherein around 26,000 are abusing drugs by injection and other 10,000 by oral consumption.

Stressing on the “Nisha Thadoklasi” initiative, Biren said such initiative would create awareness among the students and masses for creating a drug free society. Under the initiative, 80 schools would be indentified which would be created as “Drug Free Campus’. Senior students and teachers would be given training to create counselling centres at the respective schools for drug abuse prevention, he added.

‘Nisha Thadoklasi’ would also include public awareness campaigns, drive against drug peddlers/illegal substances, rehabilitation and advocacy. We should support and rehabilitate such drug abuse victims to bring them back into mainstream. The government would form a policy to systematically regulate related to alcohol in the state soon, he added.

The observance was organised by department of social welfare, in association with Federation of Indian NGO’s for Drug Abuse Prevention (FINGODAP) and Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA).