Nasha Mukt

In its endeavours towards combating drug menace among youth, the Department of Social Welfare today organised ‘Nasha Mukt Art & Cultural Event’ at Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, drawing participation from over 600 college students from Jammu division.

Addressing the youth, Commissioner Secretary Social Welfare, Sanjeev Verma, who was chief guest, emphasised that the UT administration is working diligently to eradicate drug menace from the region. “The laws are very strict and action is being taken against those involved in perpetuating the vicious cycle,” Verma said.

He encouraged the students to resist peer pressure and share information about addicts and perpetrators with the college officials and the administration. He urged the teachers to take students into confidence and prevent stigmatisation. He called upon the Information Department to amplify drug awareness messages.

The event featured cultural and awareness presentations by the inmates of Palash and Parisha Home, RS Pura and the Home for Visually Impaired, Roop Nagar Jammu, both institutions being managed by the Social Welfare Department.

SP Headquarters Jammu, Irfan Rashid Rather, educated the participants on the history of drug control laws in India and the NDPS Act. He revealed that police had registered 200 FIRs under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and arrested 300 individuals for drug peddling in 2024.