De-addiction drive helps people reeling under drug menace in Sriganganagar-OxBig News Network

Schoolchildren taking part in poster making competition as part of the de-addiction drive launched in Sriganganagar district.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A de-addiction drive launched in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district is helping people reeling under the menace of drugs for several years and yielded positive results by mobilising the youth. About 1.25 lakh people took an e-oath against the consumption of narcotic substances during the campaign, and are also motivating others.

Situated on the India-Pakistan border, Sriganganagar district faces the issue of drug smuggling from neighbouring Punjab and from across the border. The district administration’s ‘Nasha-Mukt (addiction-free) Sriganganagar’ campaign has spread awareness and connected common people with innovations based mainly on information technology.

Starting with alcohol abuse, addiction over the past decade has ranged from traditional substances, including opium and cannabis, to synthetic drugs. Access to, and the increasing prevalence of these substances has made it easier for individuals, particularly youth, to experiment with drugs, leading to addiction with severe repercussions on mental health, family dynamics, and societal stability.

Sriganganagar Collector Manju told The Hindu that the addiction scenario in the district was changing with a two-pronged strategy adopted for strong law enforcement, and public awareness and community engagement programmes. It would help create a supportive environment to promote recovery and prevent drug abuse, Dr. Manju said.

Schoolchildren taking part in poster making competition as part of the de-addiction drive launched in Sriganganagar district.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“As part of the vigorous drive, the police, Drugs Controller, Health Department and other agencies on the one hand are taking strict action against those who deal in drugs. On the other hand, the youths are being made aware of the ill-effects of drug addiction and encouraged to stay away from it,” she said.

The concept of an e-oath against the consumption of drugs became popular among the people after the administration created a module on a dedicated web portal. The QR codes of the oath were pasted at public places, including government offices, educational institutions and medical stores, to enable people to register themselves. This ensured the participation of over 1.25 lakh people.

More than 11,000 students participated in the poster-making competitions, and over 1,560 villages and 60 hospitals in the district were connected with the activities related to generating awareness. Dr. Manju said 600 rallies had been taken out in different areas so far, and 750 speech competitions, highlighting the dangerous consequences of drug abuse, had been organised.

As a result of the sustained efforts, more than 350 drug addicts had given up the habit of drug consumption during the past few months and joined the activities being held under the drive. Thousands of youth had come forward and given their consent to support the de-addiction campaign in their neighbourhoods.

A de-addiction ward has been established in the district government hospital for providing treatment to those who had given up drugs. On the initiative of the district administration, paintings drawn by students have been put up at the Collectorate building, Government Girls College campus, and several government schools and offices for generating awareness on de-addiction and a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Manju said the continuous monitoring of trends in drug abuse, and evaluating the effectiveness of the implemented programmes, would enable the administration to adapt strategies to meet the evolving needs of local communities. Counselling and support services had also helped the affected families in coping with challenges, and were gradually building a supportive environment, she said.