BENGALURU:The availability of drugs near educational institutions in the city is no more a secret with Home Minister G Parameshwara himself accepting it on the floor of the House recently. Taking the issue seriously, a student campaign has been launched in the state to stop the drug menace at educational institutions.
Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP), a student organisation, has started the ‘Selfie at campus’ campaign where a team of students is being formed who will fight the drug menace on their college campuses. As part of the campaign, students have to send their selfies with a ‘drug-free campus’ placard and send it to an app designed by the organisation.
Harsha Narayana, state secretary of ABVP said, “So far we have received 457 selfies from students of various colleges across the city. While taking the selfie, the students have to take an oath to fight the drug menace.” A few students are nominated to keep an eye in and around the campus for availability and peddling of drugs. “In case of any suspicious activities, it should be brought to the notice of the internal students team of that college who will then take it up with the college authorities,” he explained.
26 CASES BOOKED SO FAR
As per the information provided by the Home Minister to the Legislative Council, the authorities have booked 26 cases in the last three years. While the police booked eight cases of drug abuse around schools and colleges in 2015, the numbers rose to 14 in 2016. In 2017, the number was four in first three months itself. Parameshwara had assured the House that drug peddlers will be booked under the Goonda Act and advocated more stringent laws to curb the drug mafia.