3 days ago
Illegal drugs enter higher edu campuses in state
Bhubaneswar: Seizure of drugs and arrest of students point to drug addiction among youths. On Tuesday, an engineering graduate from the city was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for procuring six blots of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) from a trafficking network supplying illegal drugs.
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After the youth received the courier, the NCB, tracking the consignment, conducted a raid on the youth's house at Maitri Vihar and seized the contraband.
In April this year, heroin was seized from two youths near Shiv Temple on the Utkal University campus. It had created a hue and cry on the campus prompting students to urge university authorities to strengthen campus security.
Similar cases have been reported from other campuses in the state too.
"Drug menace in campuses will give rise to violence and students will become wayward. It is a disturbing trend, and the govt should devise a plan to stop this drug menace," said Malay Tripathy, a prohibitionist.
The higher education department has also sensed the problem and asked principals of govt and non-govt aided colleges to create awareness programmes on drug-free campuses.
"The growing menace of drug and narcotic substance abuse among youth has emerged as a serious threat to the well-being of individuals and the harmony of our society.
Educational institutions, being the foundational spaces for shaping the future of our nation, have a pivotal role to play in fostering a healthy, safe, and drug-free environment," said Ramesh Chandra Behera, deputy secretary of the department, in a letter to principals.
The NCB has launched the MANAS (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System) portal, where any citizen, student, or youth of India can lodge a complaint on the national helpline number 1933 regarding drug use on campus, if any, and also through email and the mobile app, namely 'Umang'.
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"The name of the complainant will be kept confidential. This portal also answers queries about drug-related matters, counselling, and de-addiction centres. Colleges are requested to give wide publicity about the MANAS portal in their institution by conducting awareness programmes," said Behera in the letter.
The colleges are asked to create massive awareness among the public as well as students through National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers to take an anti-drug e-pledge on the My Gov Platform. They will also sensitise students about the harmful effects of drugs on individuals and society by conducting sensitisation programmes, debates, essay writing, painting, and rallies.
