All stakeholders must make efforts to eradicate drug problem: Hry official

Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Navraj Sandhu today stressed on the need for designing a common and cohesive strategy to effectively deal with the problem of drug addiction, and said all stakeholders must contribute towards eradicating this menace from the society completely.

At a seminar organised by the Haryana police on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, at Police Officers Institute in Panchkula, she described prevention, treatment and rehabilitation as the three important aspects of drug de-addiction, and said the issue needs to be addressed seriously and effectively by all stakeholders.

Lauding the police department for holding the seminar to sensitize all stakeholders about various aspects of drug addiction and how to deal with the problem, Sandhu suggested that strategic groups should be strengthened at state, district and community level to effectively deal with it.

Apart from strengthening the state-level task force, preventing drug abuse should also be taken up as a social campaign. More targeted approach is required to achieve the desired result, she said.

On the occasion, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Education and Research, Amit Jha, stressed on close coordination between all linked departments and said the problem of drug addiction could not be tackled only at de-addiction centres and mental health centres.

Homemakers, parents and guardians would also have to shoulder the responsibility and awareness programmes against drugs should be strengthened, he said.

Director General of Police B S Sandhu said drug addiction had become a very serious issue for the society and all-out efforts were being made by the police to combat and prevent it.

A month-long special campaign has been launched to crack down on drug peddlers in the state which would continue till July 20. Under this, 100 people have been arrested from Sirsa in the last two months, he said.