JAMMU: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Health and Medical and Education (H&ME), Vivek Bharadwaj, today chaired a meeting of Divisional level Drug De-Addiction Monitoring Committee for Jammu and Kashmir at Civil Secretariat here.
Director Health Services, Kashmir/Jammu, HoD Psychiatry GMC, Jammu, Project Director Aids Control Society, State Drug Controller, SSP, State level Narcotics Cell, Additional Secretary, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Special invitees from the Civil Society and members of Business Community of Jammu besides other concerned officers of the Health and Medical Education Department, J&K Police, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department participated in the meeting.
Speaking during the meeting, the ACS directed the officers that an inspection mechanism be devised immediately and centers found to be operating in violation of norms should be closed down immediately after serving required notices. He emphasized on the need of putting in place a regulatory mechanism to regulate their functioning.
The ACS advised the Department to carve out a calendar of events for launching a sustained IEC campaign to educate the youth about the ill uses of Drug and Substance Abuse.
Bharadwaj further asked the officers that data in the shape of matrix be prepared and presented within two weeks to access the depth of the problems and the proliferation of this menace in society so that credible steps are taken to address this societal issue. He urged upon the youth to understand the repercussions of this problem on their overall health and in relation to society.
The ACS took serious note of the functioning of Drug-de addiction Centers and stressed on the need of augmenting and strengthening all the Drug-de addiction Centers in the Government Sector. He issued instructions for filling up of the Human Resource gaps where ever required to strengthen the District Level Drug-de addiction Centers and urged the Civil Society and the Business Community to play a larger role in this context.
SSP, State Level Narcotics Cell (SNTF) highlighted on the need for a coordinated effort of all the line departments of the Government and the Civil Society at large to tackle this issue and stressed on the need for parental monitoring and community participation at a larger level to control this acute problem.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that a large number of Drug De-addiction centers are operating in private sectors illegally which are contributing adversely to the control of Drug abuse. These centers are operating with deficient infrastructure and without requisite qualified professionals (Psychiatrists).
As part of the meeting, elaborative presentations were made by the HODs of Psychiatry GMC, Srinagar and Jammu highlighting the various steps taken by the Government to tackle the menace of Drug De- Addiction in the UT of J&K.
