Steering Committee of anti-drug initiative - ‘Saathi’ - convenes first meeting

GANGTOK, 16 Sept: The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the anti-drugs initiative “Saathi” which comes under the Chief Minister’s Youth Empowerment and Self Reliant Mission 2013 was held today at the Forest Secretariat Conference Hall. The meeting, which was organized by Social Justice, Empowerment and Welfare Department, Government of Sikkim, had Minister for Health and Family Welfare, D N Thakarpa as the chief guest.
Under the guidance of the Chief Minister the committee had been formed with MP Lok Sabha, P D Rai as its Chairman, through the notification No. 4/SJE&WD, dated 17 August 2013.
The meeting was attended by dignitaries from different fields while the committee itself consists of teachers, health educators, counselors, police officers, community leaders, government officials, NGOs, students and parents. The committee seeks to combat substance abuse through effective communication and make Sikkim free of drug abuse by 2015.
The committee hopes to achieve this through online education, resource centers and interactive website on the impact of substance abuse. It also hopes to find ways and means to eradicate the problem of drug abuse in the state.
Principal Secretary of Welfare Department, GP Upadhaya highlighted the urgent need to address the problem of drug abuse in Sikkim which, he said can disrupt the developmental process. Assuring full cooperation from the department, he laid stress on the need for social acceptance of a recovering addict. To this, Chief Consultant, STNM Hospital, NT Sherpa said that counseling the family members would help. Dr Sherpa highlighted that the easy access to such substances is facilitating addiction in the state.
Speaking on the role of Saathi in Sikkim, Jiwan Rai said that involving peer groups is a different approach which is showing results. He also suggested involving parents more and counseling them as well.
Lawyer, Yanzi Pinasha gave a presentation on ‘Introduction of Law in Drug Abuse and related issues’. She shed light on the flaws and loopholes in the existing SADA 2006, and suggested some amendments.
IGP, Akshay Sachdeva said, “All the agencies need to be incorporated and mutual cooperation should be extended instead of criticizing each-other to combat a social evil like this one”.
The chairman of the committee, PD Rai directed few members of the committee to initiate work on required amendments in the existing SADA 2006 in order to make it more effective.
Chief guest, Mr Thakarpa said, “It is high time to understand this problem because the drug menace ruins whatever good we do for the society”. Emphasizing on the role of parents to save children from drugs, he said that proper care and guidance from parents will solve most of the problems of drugs and addiction.
Several demands and points were raised by those present in the meeting which the chairman, Health Minister and Principal Secretary assured to fulfill.
The major points made in the meeting are; appointment of more Counselors, establishment of Juvenile Observation Home in All Districts (currently only one home is functioning in the state at Gangtok), establishment of Rehabilitation Centers by government, removal of liquor shops in the vicinity of Schools, destruction of unused building near Tadong school which is reportedly being used by drug addicts etc.
[reported by MAHENDRA P. GURUNG)