It is no exaggeration that the second greatest threat to the society after terrorism is the affliction of drugs spreading its ugliest tentacles like a wild fire. More and more people, especially the young are falling prey to drugs and are becoming addicts. Addiction is such a disease which progressively consumes the drug addict rendering him or her incapacitated and unfit to lead a normal life. Drug abuse and addiction is a serious issue for Governments to address in a comprehensive way and in this fight rather an all out war against drugs and addiction, Governments should get support from all social, cultural, religious and political organizations, NGOs, writers, intellectuals, social activists, trade unions, students unions and philanthropic organizations. Drug addiction in Jammu and Kashmir, unfortunately, has assumed alarming proportions.
Drug addiction is just like any other disease and disrupts the normal and healthy functioning of the body and its organs leaving behind serious impairment and damage to it and must be treated, the alternative being a life unworthy of living and a liability for the family and the society. With this unraveling of the serious consequences of drug addiction, nevertheless, it is treatable and preventable too. Anti-dote to addiction is the process of manifold measures called de- addiction measures.
There is no doubt that the Union Government is leaving no stone unturned in fighting drug addiction but the State Government is too frugal and lethargic in putting forth a mechanism to fight the menace to notice any achievement worth the name. There are no sufficient drug de- addiction centers in the State. Nor are there any stringent rules made under the all encompassing Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Under this Act, the Government has powers to establish centers for identification, treatment, after- care, rehabilitation and social re- integration of drug addicts. These provisions of the Act should have been instrumental in motivating the concerned authorities of the State Government to leave an imprint in matters of achievement of different goals set by it in matters of fighting this scourge but the ground results speaking on the contrary, have even resulted in the State High Court taking a serious note of the lapses and virtual non performance and the State Accountability Commission following suit on more than one occasion.
However, a Committee was constituted by the State Government in April this year for formulation of the Draft rules under relevant sections of the NDPS Act for establishment of reasonably sufficient number of drug de- addiction centers in the State. The Committee has representation from the departments of Finance, Home, Health, Medical Education and Social Welfare Departments comprising officers not below the rank of Special Secretary. These two months, however, have seen no development or any progress in respect of accomplishing the assigned task. Home Department which has a key role to play in the whole exercise seems to be coping out and dodging. No one from these officers owns responsibility rather they are reported to be feigning innocence in being not associated with the exercise.
We urge the Government to treat the matter with all seriousness as it is the very question of the future of number of those young people who are already core addicts and even those who might fall prey to this scourge and become potential addicts. The Government agencies have to wake up from the ill afforded slumber on this most sensitive issue concerning the affected people, families, society, State and the country in respect of the horrors of drugs and drug addiction.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel