BHOPAL: Colleges and universities in Madhya Pradesh have shown callous attitude towards growing drug menace in educational institutions. After acknowledging the nationwide problem National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), wing of Ministry of Social Justice wrote to MP government in November to organize awareness campaigns. Since then letters are being written, reminders being issued but to no avail.
Considering the problem ‘grave’, union government’s ministry of social justice wrote a letter to principal secretary of higher education on November 22, 2018 urging them to organize awareness campaigns in colleges and universities across the state. Reacting on the letter from NISD, higher education department wrote a letter addressed to all colleges and universities on December 19, 2018 to organize the programmes to aware students on drug menace plaguing campuses across nation.
Receiving no response from the education institutes, higher education department issued a reminder on 23 February. Here again the original letter from NISD was attached and colleges reminded of the programme. The letter didn’t work and finally another reminder has been issued on March 2.
Interestingly, NISD has also made financial provisions for the programme and aid up to Rs 50,000 has been promised to the college or university that organizes such programmes. The letter from NISD said that students are most vulnerable to drug abuse in view of lack of knowledge about drugs.
Hence, awareness at college level is required to sensitize the students about the harmful effects of drugs, myths and facts associated with it to curb the menace. Focus has been laid on colleges and universities as students are most important stakeholders for creating awareness. The letter suggests educational institutes to organize about 10- 12 programmes with group of 100 students with help of NSS, NCC etc.
