UDUPI: In order to ensure Udupi as a drug-free district, each college here will conduct random blood tests on 10 percent of students every three months, Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, SP said that if a student tests positive for drug use, the information will be shared with the nodal officer. The student’s identity will be kept confidential. They will then be referred for counselling to help them reform. Prior to conducting tests, colleges will obtain consent from students. The District Health Officer (DHO) will ensure skilled medical staff are available at designated locations for the tests, which will be managed entirely by college administrations, with police assistance in case need arises. Police will not directly involve in the process of testing the students, SP said.
A total of 166 colleges in Udupi district, including 120 pre-university and 46 professional institutions have now formed Anti-Drug and Awareness Committees (ADACs), fuctioning under the leadership of Udupi DC Swaroopa T K. SP further said the ADAC initiative, formally launched on July 24 at the Bannanje Shri Narayana Guru Sabha Bhavana in collaboration with the Udupi District Police, aims to curb both the demand and supply of drugs, particularly in Manipal and Udupi, where thousands of students study. ''We always nab the culprits who supply drugs to students to spoil their lives. But we want to look at bringing down the demand curve'' he said.
Each college ADAC will include the principal, two staff members and one student from each class. At least two of them must be female students. The jurisdictional police inspector or sub-inspector (Law and Order) will serve as the nodal officer. Committees must hold monthly meetings, organise at least one awareness activity such as a walkathon and invite police from the local police station. The nodal officer should attend at least once every three months. SP also said that if a student is found positive in a drug abuse case, they will be counselled.
Any tip off about drug peddlers supplying drugs to students should be passed to the nodal officer, so that legal action can be taken. At the district level, the nodal officer is the DySP CEN police station, who can be contacted at 8277989100, SP informed.