Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed school authorities to report any case of drug abuse by children to the police or the excise department.
He was speaking at a meeting to discuss the steps to be taken to curb drug abuse among students here on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister stressed on the need to inform the authorities when drug abuse cases come to the fore. In the 2022-23 academic year, 325 cases came to the notice of teachers or officials in various schools, but only 183 cases were reported to enforcement officers. This practice should not be encouraged.
Mr Vijayan said there is a need to rescue children whose behavior has changed at school or home due to drug abuse. For this, the teachers should secretly inform the excise and police officers and ensure the services of medical counselors for the children.
The public awareness committees constituted in all the schools should meet before 31st July to plan the events for this year.
It was found that drug trafficking was being done near 382 educational institutions in different districts. Special attention should be given to these schools and there should be a special plan for ‘No to Drugs’ campaign. The police department will be directed to provide assistance for the campaign.
Continuous monitoring of police and excise should be arranged around the schools. Monitoring in schools should also be strengthened by local level awakened committees.
All schools should make arrangements so that parents can inform teachers about children showing changes in behavior at home and teachers should inform parents about any such changes at school.
‘No to drugs’
The third phase of ‘Nasha Na Karein’ campaign should be planned in such a way that it should be completed by January 30. A discussion should be organized on 2nd October involving people in the areas where the children live. Chief Minister’s anti-drug Navakeralam message should reach all households on November 1. A special Children’s Day meeting should be organized on 14th November.
An anti-drugs seminar will be held on Human Rights Day on December 10 and the achievements made on this front will be presented at the local self-government level. Class meetings will be organized on 30th January, in which the activities of this year will be reviewed. Family meetings should also be organized in which children will be presenters.
Higher education institutions should plan anti-drug seminars, presentations and activities during the holidays. Steps should be taken to start Shraddha and Nerkuttam committees in higher education institutions at the earliest. People who are part of such groups should be given special training.
The Public Awareness Committees at the local body level should meet at least once in every three months and review besides planning further activities. The Chief Minister said that the participation of excise or police officers should be ensured in such meetings.
General Education Minister V. Shivankutty, Higher Education Minister R.K. Bindu, Local Self Government Minister MB Rajesh, Chief Secretary V. Venu, Additional Chief Secretary Sarada Muralidharan, General Education Principal Secretary Rani George, State Police Chief Sheikh Darvesh Saheb and Excise Commissioner Mahipal Yadav were present on the occasion.