The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has sought the support of organisations and stakeholders in East Jaintia Hills district to join hands in a rally to be held in Shillong on November 7.
As part of their ‘Drugs Elimination Enforcement of Dream (DEED)’ mission, the HYC has been visiting districts in the state and held public meetings to create awareness on the need to push the state government to take steps as part of the Drug Reduction, Elimination, and Action Mission (DREAM), which was launched last year.
The HYC had submitted its seven-point charter of demands to the government to address the menace of drugs.
HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem during a public meeting held in Khliehriat today said the scheduled rally in the state capital will seek answers to what has the policy makers have done so far to address the issue of drugs in the state.
According to the HYC, the DREAM mission “looks good only on paper” but is not carried through properly. The group had demanded setting up of rehabilitation centre in East Khasi Hills in order to meet the needs of 3 lakh addicts, utilisation of the more stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1988 and the setting up of a branch of the Narcotics Control Bureau in Shillong.
Synrem said the demands were placed before the government on October 4, yet the organisation has not received any feedback from the government. “We will knock on the doors of the Secretariat on November 7 to seek answers on what has the government decided on,” he added.
He further sought the support of the waheh shnongs, women and youth organisations and the village defence party to fight against drugs.
Other pressure groups who attended the rally were the Jaiñtia National Council, Meghalaya People’s United Front, Jaiñtia Students Movement, Jaiñtia Women Council and Meghalaya Indigenous Women Council.
