Responsibility of all to curb drug menace: Dingo
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 08 2023:
Social welfare minister H Dingo has said that every section of the society must shoulder responsibility in uprooting drugs from the state and raising voice by social welfare department alone would not solve the drug problem.
The minister stated this while speaking at a one-day media awareness workshop on 'Media focus on demand reduction of drugs as part of War on Drugs' jointly organised by Editors'
Guild Manipur and Social Welfare Department on Saturday.
Attending as chief guest of the inaugural session of the workshop held at Sangai Hotel, Thangal bazar, here, minister H Dingo said that drug abuse was initially confined to Imphal area particularly among youth of some wealthy families but it has now spread to all corners of the state.
Drug abuse gives severe impact to the society as it is the origin of many social crimes and hence the issue must be looked into very seriously.
In view of seriousness of the issue, chief minister N Biren Singh launched 'War on Drugs' mission and drug seizure under the mission continues unabated.
As role of media in tackling the menace is of utmost importance, the interaction programme has been organised to minimise the issue at least to some extent, Dingo said and expressed hope of uprooting drugs from the state if every section of the society joins hands together and-fight collectively.
In his speech at the inaugural session, Editors' Guild Manipur president Khogendra Khomdram said that daily report of seizure of drugs Worth crores of rupees cannot be taken as a good sign and the workshop is being organised to identify roles to be played by media towards ensuring success of the government's War on Drugs mission.
Demand reduction is key to the success of the government's ongoing mission, he said, while observing that drug seizure will decrease when there is demand reduction and the media play it part responsibly.
During the technical session of the workshop moderated by Editors' Guild Manipur advisor A Mubi, Social Welfare director Ng Uttam, RIMS Psychiatry Department head professor RK Lenin, SASO general secretary RK Tiken and others presented papers on different topics as resource persons.
In his presentation, Ng Uttam said that the state government is giving maximum focus on supply reduction but lacks focus on demand and harm reduction.
The workshop is being organised with the hope that discussion with media will help in minimising the issue and discussion with the minister has been made about holding similar programme for media persons alone, he said.
According to Ng Uttam, the state is yet to conduct survey for alcohol and tobacco users and people having mental issue amidst the apprehension of drugs affecting children.
In view of lack of this survey, the ministry of social justice in its report in 2019 mentioned something about Manipur and said that 22.4 percent of the total population of Manipur consume liquor and 3.8 percent suffer depression.
In his presentation, professor RK Lenin said that around 20 out of 100 people of Manipur consume liquor and estimated 40,000 people are drug users.
Instead of giving punishment, these drug users need to be given fair treatment including by their parents.
Another recourse person, SASO general secretary RK Tiken presented his paper on the 'Role of NGOs in demand reduction' at the workshop.
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