Himachal CM Sukhu inaugurates Drugs De-addiction cum Rehabilitation Centre
SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday inaugurated the Drugs De-addiction cum Rehabilitation Centre at Sriram Hospital ,New Shimla.
Presiding over a function on the ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’, Sukhu highlighted the global challenge posed by drug abuse and emphasized its severe economic and social consequences.
He also expressed concern over sale of drugs and narcotic substances near educational institutions, which has resulted in glaring cases of drug addiction among youth.
He expressed deep concern over the increasing number of youth falling into the trap of drug addiction, as it not only negatively impacts their health and intellectual capacity.
He said that the government plans to establish two drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centers in the State. About 50 bighas land near Shimla has been identified for constructing one of these centers and sufficient funds will be allocated for setting-up both centers.
The Chief Minister sought public cooperation to eradicate drug menace from the society and urged people to report information about drug peddlers to the Police so that they could be nabbed in time. He highlighted the significance of NGOs and said that Gram Sabha will be held in the near future to involve all sections of society in the drug de-addiction campaign.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil emphasized the significance of addressing drug addiction and stressed the need for raising awareness among people. He said that drug addiction has severe physical and mental repercussions, impacting entire families. He stressed the importance of communication between parents and children to prevent drug abuse
He said that the state government was making earnest efforts to curb the Drugs menace and every section of the society must supplement the government initiatives in this regard.
The Chief Minister said that there was an urgent need for collective efforts to combat this issue and sought active participation of all stakeholders to eradicate this menace. The success of the Drugs De-addiction Centre relies on the active involvement of the community, as everyone must contribute in eradicating the drug menace and building a healthier future for the state, he added.
To curb the menace of drug trafficking, the police have registered 400 cases in Shimla district under which 300 people have been arrested in the past six months.
“To combat this issue, the government has collaborated with the police department and developed a blueprint to fight drugs. A Vidhan Sabha resolution has been sent to the Union Government, seeking amendments to the Narcotics Act for strictest actions against drug peddlers”, he added.
