Stepping up the drive against trafficking and consumption of drugs, the city police will shortly initiate a programme to enlighten students, particularly in pre-university and colleges, on drug abuse and involve them and college staff in the fight against cannabis.
Police Commissioner Kuldeep Kumar R. Jain told The Hindu that teams each having 12 police personnel have been constituted in all 15 police stations under the commissionerate. “They will regularly meet students and staff of colleges in their jurisdiction. The students and the college staff will be enlightened on the drugs and their abuse.”
Apart from addressing the counselling and other needs to bring the addicts out of drug abuse, Mr. Jain said the programme is intended to develop a good rapport between the police, students and college staff. “We hope this activity will help us to act effectively against drug peddlers and their aides,” he said.
Asked on how different the new programme will be as a similar initiative was taken by the city police in the past, Mr. Jain said the new programme has been planned in a way to reach out to all students, teachers and non-teaching staff.
“Unlike in the past, we have planned the programme in a way that will be reaching out to each and every student. It is during this one-to-one interaction we get more inputs about drugs and its abuse, which will help us in taking effective action” Mr. Jain said.
As many as 180 police personnel, who are members of 15 teams, have been sensitised on drugs and its abuse by experts, who included forensic scientists and psychologists.
A week ago, Home Minister G. Parameshwara expressed concern over drug abuse in Mangaluru and other parts of Coastal Karnataka and asked police to take effective action against drug consumers and peddlers. “By August 15, police should ensure that drugs are not available to people in the region,” the minister told press persons in Mangaluru.
