Shillong, Sep 22: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today inaugurated the Sewa Inland DREAM Rehabilitation Centre at Gambagre in South West Garo Hills in presence of MLA Subir Marak.
The centre is the first government-supported rehabilitation centre in Garo Hills and the 15th in the state. Before the DREAM Mission, Meghalaya had only nine centres. Of the 15 now, 10 are government-supported, with more in the pipeline.
The CM also launched the state’s first comprehensive SOP for Rehabilitation Centres, setting minimum standards of care, admission, counselling, safety and dignity across all government and non-government centres.
Speaking on the occasion, Sangma said the government’s approach since 2018 has been stakeholder-driven, not scheme-driven.
“The fight against drugs cannot be won by buildings alone, but by giving youth alternatives,” he said.
Making a strong pitch against mobile addiction among children, the CM said libraries must become vibrant youth engagement spaces.
“We have to create spaces where children want to go, sit, read and engage. If we don’t give our youth positive avenues in libraries, sports, music, they will find engagement in the wrong places. A library is not just a building with books; it is a space that can save a child from mobile addiction and from substance abuse,” he said, directing the upgrade of District Library, Tura into a child-friendly space.
He said DREAM Mission, launched on June 26, 2023, is India’s only dedicated State Mission against drug abuse and has brought convergence between Police, Health, Social Welfare, Education and society.
The Gambagre centre was created by repurposing a Tribal Girls’ Hostel – a model to overcome land constraints. It will work with the Detox Centre at Tura Civil Hospital, covering both medical and psychosocial phases. It is run by community and faith-based organisation Sewa Inland with government support.
The government has also launched Recovery Tracker Portal for real-time bed availability, upcoming DREAM Solace Home halfway house, NAVCHETNA module in schools, statewide drug survey with Sankardev College, and a Narcotics K9 Unit with six sniffer dogs.
