By Our Reporter
Shillong: The State social welfare department on Tuesday urged for the convergence of government and society to curb the menace of drugs which has started to dilute the very morale of the society.
“Drug is a menace to the family as well as to the society and convergence and coordination among various sectors of the society is the need of the hour”, Director of Social Welfare, HM Shangpliang said.
Shangpliang was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking organised by the Social Welfare department in collaboration with the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Health, Education, Police, Meghalaya Aids Control Society (MACS) and partner NGO’s at Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre here on Tuesday.
The function was also attended by students and teachers from various schools besides others.
Meanwhile, the District Social Welfare Officer in collaboration with CDPO, Urban ICDS Project observed the International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking at
the Tura Circuit House.
The district social welfare officer, N Ch Momin informed that seven million people are dying the world over due to substance abuse in one form of the other.
She added that the drug abuse scenario in Garo hills is alarming with children starting as early as at the age of ten and most of theabusers are the school drop outs.
The Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Pravin Bakshi, present at the occasion as the Chief Guest said that Tura is in a phase of rapid decline with many factors being affiliated to it and one of them being lack of parental control which leads the children to drug abuse.
He urged the students not to indulge in short term unhealthy and ignoble practices. while assuring the support of the district administration to help curb the menace of drug and substance abuse.
Meanwhile, the day was also celebrated by the NSS unit of BBS College which organized extempore, essay writing and painting competition.