Police Commissioner holds drug awareness programme

Police Commissioner holds drug awareness programme

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, August 11: Seemanth Kumar Singh, the police commissioner of Mangalore, said that there are no recorded facts or figures to prove the existence of a drug problem within the city. He was speaking at a drug awareness programme held in his office today. 

Further speaking on the drug issue, he said that drug problems will increase with the number of educational institutions in the city.

Speaking on the issue, Dr. Sathish Rao, the psychiatric, said that a number of young people are recovering from drug addiction in rehabilitation centres. Stating that drug addiction used to be a problem only among college students, he added that even high school students are now getting addicted to drugs.

Revealing statistics, he said that, of the young people who end up in rehabilitation centres, 12.4 percent are girls and 8 percent are girls. He stressed the need to conduct drug awareness programmes in colleges. 

Leela Upadhyaya, the principal of Sharada College, said that counseling centres must be set up in colleges because it is not possible for teachers to identify students or groups of students with drug problems and teach them about its ill effects. 

Speaking on the issue, Prof. Richard of St. Aloysius College said that college students are in the habit of spending their after class hours at certain shops and restaurants, adding that the police department must thoroughly investigate such hangouts. 

Jayakumar, the principal of Karnataka Polytechnic, said that, although a High Court order of 2003 prevents the selling of tobacco products within a radius of 100m of educational institutions, nobody implements the order. He added that 50 percent of the problem will be solved if this court order is implemented. He even informed that a shop close to the compound wall of KPT sells cigars. 

Stating that the drug mafia is a huge network, Dr. Hamsraj Alva said that parents, teachers, doctors, and students must unite to fight against it and prevent the deaths of innumerable youth caused by consuming drugs. 

Prof. G. N. Bhat, the principal of Canara Degree College, said that certain shops near the college campus hardly sell any items essential to students, yet students spend hours at these shops. Students are also observed spending hours in mobile shops after class. 

Mr. Singh suggested that schools and colleges must call a general body meeting of students and parents and discuss the issue. He also said that students’ unions must organize awareness programmes in addition to organizing cultural events. 

He also said that any citizen who gets any information regarding drug consumption or sale in public places can send a text message to 9480802305, adding that DCP (crime) Dharmaiah will take care of the issue. 

DCP (Crime ) Dharmaiah and DCP Muthuraya were present on the occasion.