The National Service Scheme Cell of NEHU organised a one day programme on ‘Menace of Substance Abuse’ last week on the university campus.
The event was attended by a large number of students from different departments along with NSS programme officers and NSS volunteers from colleges, NSS NEHU, and university officials.
The programme was organized as part of the ‘NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyaan’. The programme began with an address by Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, via video conferencing. Sonal V Misra, Inspector General, North Eastern Sector, Central Reserve Police Force, was the chief guest and Supriya Das, Superintendent of Police (CID) was the guest of honour.
During her address, Misra said that most of the North East states are becoming drug consumption hubs and they have higher drug consumption percentages than the national level.
She also said that because of an apparent lack of community intervention, drug abuse is a problem not only among the youth but across ages and genders. She emphasised that one should not shy away from talking about the menace of drug abuse in the community and urged the youth, especially college and university students, to always be involved in discussions with their peer groups. She exhorted the youth to contribute to controlling the peddling of drugs. Before she concluded her speech, she urged all students to take the e-pledge “Say Yes to Life, No to Drugs”.
Das said that to stop drugs, a three-pronged approach has been adopted by the government. First, the force is striving to combat drug peddling, trafficking, and smuggling.
Secondly, several counseling centres and rehabilitation centres have been opened by the Social Welfare Department, and thirdly, local police stations are constantly conducting awareness programmes in markets, in remote localities, schools and colleges.
NEHU Vice-Chancellor, Prof PS Shukla expressed his concern for the youth on campus and also in society.
He also emphasized how the addiction to drugs and tobacco or any other intoxicants not only ruins the life of the people addicted to them but to all those who are related to them.
