Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Member of the Parliament from Anantnag Retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi on Friday raised a number of issues in the Parliament today.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Masoodi sought the commencement of an academic session at AIIMS Awantipora. “The nearby Islamic University of science and technology campus is spacious enough to accommodate the MBBS classes till the AIIMS campus under construction is ready to house the Medical College. I have spoken to the IUST VC in this regard as well,” he said.
He also raised concern over the inordinate delay in kick-starting academic activities of AIIMS Kashmir for the third year now. “For the past three years, there has been no headway on finalizing a temporary campus for AIIMS Kashmir or for starting the process of roping in manpower for commencing the classes. I request the concerned ministry to review the progress on the project and endure the early commencing of academic activities in a temporary campus till AIIMS is made ready. The future of our children cannot wait,” he added.
Masoodi also raised the problem of the drug menace under rule 377 in the Lok Sabha. Drawing the attention of the treasury benches towards the burgeoning issues, he said that the problem has become widespread in Jammu & Kashmir.
“The youth, which is the pillar of our society, are being destroyed by this menace. Srinagar receives 150 new drug addiction cases on a daily basis. 95% of people involved in substance abuse belong to the age group of 7-33 years. Over six lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir are victims of drug abuse. The numbers have increased from 489 in 2016 to 7,420 in 2019. In 2021, the number of cases reported stood close to 14,000. What is more worrying is that 95% of the cases reported are of drug addiction to the deadly heroine.”
He further said that the experts say that the issues run very deep and the actual number of addicts could be much more than the reported ones. “It is high time to create mass awareness in every locality about the fallout of drugs. Equal emphasis needs to be laid on the de-addiction and rehabilitation centers. Having regard to the sharp spread of drug- addiction, the de-addiction and rehabilitation centers are far less than what is required. I urge the central government to come up with a comprehensive de-addiction and rehabilitation mechanism to address this menace,” Masoodi said.
