Dr Nara pledges to address drug issue
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 12 2019:
Taking serious note of the problems faced by the drug users community in the State which constitutes approximately around 2.5 per cent of the total population of Manipur, CPI candidate in Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency Dr Moirangthem Nara has today pledged to address the issue of drugs in the State if elected.
Dr Nara was speaking at the Palace Compound office of Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), the largest platform of drug users in the State.
While acknowledging CoNE's sustained efforts for the welfare of drug users community in the State, Dr Nara underscored the urgent need to address the issue which has engulfed the entire youth community of Manipur.
Dr Nara while speaking to the members of CoNE cited the example of Vietnam where the Government of Vietnam took up special rehabilitation programmes for the drug users community and made them self sustainable and productive citizens of the country.
"The Government of Vietnam had rehabilitated the drug users by making them plant fruit bearing trees in and around hill areas.
This made them self sustainable and at the same time made them realize that they can contribute to the economic development of the country through their small works." He further said that there are many drug users in the State and it is high time that the Government comes up with certain rehabilitation programmes for them in the same manner as done in Vietnam.
However, it is very unfortunate that the Government has so far done nothing for the drug users.
"If fortunately I am elected in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, I will make sure that the issues and problems faced by the drug users community of the State are addressed to a certain extent and that the issue of drugs is taken up as a priority in the Parliament.
I stand firm for the welfare of the drug users community," he said.
Earlier, CoNE president Nalinikanta Rajkumar while welcoming him pointed out the issues and challenges faced by the drug users community of the State and the role played by CoNE which is a network of 12 community based drug users organizations scattered across the State.
CoNE on its part also assured the candidate of extending all necessary support in combating the drugs issue in the State.