SHILLONG: The State Government earmarks funds for rehabilitation of drug addicts but efforts yield little result as the number of drug abusers is increasing in the district, said a senior government official on Friday.
Speaking to reporters on the sideline of an anti-drug abuse rally, District Social Welfare Officer ZJ Lyngdoh said, “We allot maximum funds to rehabilitate drug addicts. However, substance abuse is on the rise no matter how much effort we put in to fight drug addiction. We are extending fund assistance to NGOs that run rehabilitation centres.”
Five schools from Madanriting, eight religious organisations and NGOs from Madanriting participated in the rally organised by the Social Welfare Department in collaboration with Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) and the police department.
When asked about the plan for establishing juvenile rehabilitation centres, Lyngdoh said, “At present, there is no juvenile rehabilitation centre. The department will look into the issue of rehabilitating juveniles separately.”
She added that youth in the age group of 15-29 years are vulnerable to drug addiction.
Officer-in-Charge of Madanriting Police Station O Syiemlieh pointed out various factors that lure youth into drug addiction.
He said, “It is a social problem.”
“School dropouts, children that come from broken families who are deprived of love, counselling are susceptible to fall into the temptation of drugs.”
Meanwhile, Meena Kharkongor, Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said the youth should be educated on the menace of drugs, alcohol and substance abuse through programmes.
She urged schools to pay attention to children and take steps to prevent them from becoming victims.
The rally was kicked off from Madanriting Police Station and culminated at EFCI hall at Demthring on Friday as part of the observation of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
