JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the preparations being made by the Information Department for a UT-wide informational and educational campaign aimed at creating awareness about the hazards and prevention of drug abuse.
Present in the meeting were Principal Secretary, Home; Commissioner Secretary, Information & GAD; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir/Jammu; IGP, Kashmir/Jammu; IGP, Crime; Director, Information & PR; State Drug Controller and other concerned officers.
Deputy Commissioners attended the meeting from their Offices through video conferencing.
The Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of training resource persons at the district level to ensure that a pool of trained individuals is kept available to reach every block and panchayat, fostering widespread awareness. He also directed for ensuring training of local officials in each block to act as counsellors, guiding the affected youth towards rehabilitation.
To enhance the campaign’s effectiveness, Dulloo instructed for covering every panchayat and higher educational institution across the UT with proper documentation of attendance and activities. He further advised the involvement of Deputy Commissioners in identifying key locations to ensure meaningful grassroots engagement of all the adult population there.
Highlighting the importance of clear communication, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for translating IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) materials into all local languages being spoken in the UT. He also urged the Information Department to leverage the reach of Radio and Doordarshan to disseminate educational content in far-off areas, ensuring maximum outreach and participation of the citizens.
To maintain the momentum, he directed the Department to publish a monthly newsletter featuring success stories, preventive measures and legal actions taken against the drug dealers to act as a deterrent. Additionally, he called for the creation of a district-wise calendar of activities, widely publicised in advance, so that people in each village are informed about the campaign schedule and participating resource persons.
Commissioner Secretary Information Department, M. Raju, provided a detailed presentation on the planned implementation of the NashaMukt J&K Abhiyaan. He outlined that a short multilingual film would be showcased at every panchayat-level event, coordinated by designated nodal officers. The campaign will also feature interactive sessions with experts from the Health, Police, Excise, Social Welfare and Youth Services & Sports Departments, followed by Q&A sessions to engage the audience effectively.
To enhance the campaign’s reach and impact, he made out that the Department will collaborate with local influencers, including religious leaders and prominent community figures. Furthermore, individuals and families who have successfully overcome addiction will be publicly honoured as a source of inspiration for others, he added.
As part of the meeting, a short film on the ill effects of drug abuse was screened, which will be played at all campaign events. Additionally, the newly designed logo and web portal for Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyaan were unveiled for feedback from the stakeholders.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged all stakeholders to play an active role in making the campaign a success, ensuring a lasting impact on the youth of J&K.
The discussions also focused on a strategic roadmap for the complete eradication of drug abuse from society, with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation and support for affected individuals without stigmatising them to live their lives happily ever after.
