TEZU, Mar 30: The Trade & Commerce department in collaboration with Health and Family welfare department, conducted a day-long awareness for traders and business community of Lohit district on “Prevention of drug and substance abuse among children and illicit trafficking” on Thursday.
Assistant commissioner Himanshu Nigam chaired the awareness programme.
TDO Dr Asmi Mega informed that the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in the year 2020 had identified 272 districts in the country which were vulnerable in terms of aubstance and alcohol abuse.
As Lohit district was in this vulnerable group list, the district administration has over the time taken up various programs aimed at eradicating the drugs and substance abuse in the district, he said.
Under Nasha Mukht Bharat Abhiyaan, various awareness campaigns on village wise have been conducted by the administration in collaboration with Tax, Excise & Narcotics department, NCB and police. Similarly, COTPA Act is also being implemented in the district, he added.
As per letter received from Member Secretary NCPCR to implement the joint action plan on prevention of substance and alcohol abuse in the district, the meeting was called to create awareness among the business community.
DSO (IDSP) Dr S Towang spoke on drug abuse and the types of inhalants being abused by the habitual offenders. He also informed the gathering that the instances of road traffic accidents in the district were one of the highest in the state.
Dr Towang further said that these accidents are caused due the ill effects of alcohol and substance abuse. He advised all the chemists not to sell any drugs(medicines) or syringes without any prescription from a licensed medical practitioner.
Drug inspector from zonal hospital Taloh Jamoh, spoke on schedule H, H1, or X drugs.
He said that the district administration is soon going to make it mandatory for all the pharmacies to install CCTV cameras and digitization of register for selling medicines so that a proper record is maintained and abuse of common medicines if any can be stopped.
The assistant commissioner in his address said that the children are the future of the society and the trading community should also take part in the efforts of the district administration to curb the drug menace.
He urged the liquor shopkeepers and chemists to install CCTV in their shops and to never sell tobacco cigarette, bidi or alcohol to underaged children. (DIPRO)
20
