CBSE to include chapter on Drug Abuse in its syllabus

CBSE to include chapter on Drug Abuse in its syllabus

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru: August 10, 2015: The Karnataka police have mooted a proposal to include a chapter on the deleterious effects of drugs in the CBSE syllabus.

Om Prakash, DG&IGP, said the proposal was put forth during the meeting held here on Monday. "We will take it forward. We are looking at targeting children from Class VIII onwards and create awareness on the ill-effects of drugs," he said, observing their task would be made easier since a Karnataka cadre officer is in charge of education at New Delhi.

The meeting chaired by S K Patnaik, additional chief secretary (home department), had an extensive agenda, but the discussion was limited to hearing grievances from NGOs and school authorities on how drugs and tobacco products were being sold outside the institution premises without any fear of law.

Patnaik said: "There is drug abuse in the coastal cities of Mangaluru and Manipal, the education hubs of the region. We are here to take active steps, otherwise it’ll blow up. It’s not that this region is like the Punjab, but we want to take the bull by its horns."

He also admitted that Coastal area is vulnerable, although the highest number of drug abuse cases was recorded in Bengaluru.

The DG and the additional chief secretary did not have any statistics to share. At a macro level, they stated the coastal areas are vulnerable to drug menace due to the fact that a large of number educational institutions were situated here. At the same breath, Patnaik said, "We are not in denial, so let’s face the problem."

Earlier, NGOs and heads or representatives of institutions brought to the notice of Patnaik, Prakash, and deputy commissioner AB Ibrahim the rampant sale of drugs outside the campus. In fact Shreelatha Ullal, academic administrative officer, Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, said one of the students, who she had confronted, had clearly told her not to force him to reveal his supply source, but challenged her that he would get whatever quantity or variety of drug that’s needed. The students also told her that getting the supplier caught by law was of no consequence as he would come out within 24 hours by allegedly paying the police.

She said this tendency was mostly seen in students staying outside hostels in paying guest accommodations.

Others pointed out that Farangipete, Adyar, on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway in Bantwal taluk, were the main supply points. "The students know where to get it and from whom," the students said, urging police to constitute a special task force to contain this menace. Police officials, however, said they would strengthen their own network and there was no need for a special task force at this moment.