State Level Workshop conducted
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 28 2022:
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCP-CR) and Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) jointly organised a one-day State Level Workshop on 'Joint Action Plan on Prevention of Drugs and Substance Abuse Among Children and Illicit Trafficking' at Manipur Press Club, here, on Wednesday.
The workshop was attended by MCPCR commissioner Phurailatpam Manibabu Sharma; Imphal East deputy commissioner Khumanthem Diana; MCPCR member secretary Regina Hong-ray; Social Welfare director Ng Uttam and joint director Bantee Konthoujam Singh as presidium members.
Speaking on the occasion, DC Diana remarked that despite being a small state, Manipur is one the top-ranking states with regard to drugs and substance abuse.
This is the reason why the CM launched the "War on Drugs" campaign.
Efforts are being made to control drugs and substance abuse including formation of a task force consisting of different stakeholders particularly police, social welfare, paramilitary forces and ZEOs among others, she said.
Regarding prevention of poppy cultivation, Diana said that horticulture and agriculture departments have been roped in to provide alternative means of livelihood to those involved in poppy cultivation.
As Manipur is located close to the infamous Golden Triangle, it is inevitable for the state to suffer from drug menace.
However, the stakeholders are trying their level best to minimise the effects, she said.
The DC continued that mass anti-drug awareness programmes are being carried out in the districts.
However, someone, who is addicted to drugs, will continue to take drugs despite knowing the ill-effects.
As such, this addictive behaviour needs to be rectified for it is much likely for children to copy the habits of their parents or elders who are addicted.
The police, social welfare department and MCPCR do not have the ability to shield all children from witnessing substance abuse, she said, while remarking that everyone has a role to play in putting an end to the drug menace in the society.
In his speech, Manibabu Sharma recalled that cases of substance and drug abuse were first reported in 1973.He then said that drugs are taken by idle people for the busy people do not have the time.
Thus, children must not be allowed to stay idle and instead encouraged to participate in sports or preferred choice of activities.
Additionally, a medical test done every 3 months can provide information on how much drugs a child has consumed, if suspect -ed, so as to prevent future abuse.
However, the United Nations Human Rights Commission does not permit forceful medical test on a person as it violates human rights.
Most often, children imitate the images portrayed on mass media particularly on TV, he said and stressed the need for proper censorship in this regard.
During the technical session, NCPCR senior technical expert (Child Health Division, Child Psychology and Child Sociology) Shaista Shah spoke on 'In-depth Interpretation of Joint Action Plan (JAP)'; Social Welfare deputy director (CP) Konsam Saroja on 'Drug Demand Deduction' and MCPCR ex-member Keisam Pradipku-mar on 'Adolescence & Drug Abuse Issue in Manipur' .
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