On de-addiction journey, youths find purpose in life

15 youths previously addicted to drugs, have started life afresh by selling food on the Capital streets. Asish Mehta finds out their stories of reformation
Gautam Nayak selling snacks at his cart in Bhubaneswar | Express
Gautam Nayak selling snacks at his cart in Bhubaneswar | Express

BHUBANESWAR: At a get-together with a group of youths from his neighbourhood in Kedarpalli Basti of Bhubaneswar, Gautam Nayak was introduced to a ‘white powder’. He had just cleared his matriculation and little did he realise that the substance was brown sugar.

As his addiction grew, he indulged in crimes to gather money for procuring brown sugar from drug peddlers in his area. In the process, three criminal cases were registered against him including one under the Arms Act that led to his arrest. After securing a bail, he was fortunate to enter a rehab centre in the city. Today, after a four-month fight against the addiction, 29-year-old Gautam is a changed man. Not only has he given up drugs but also supplements his family income by selling snacks at the Station Square every day.

“It was a tough and long battle against drugs. But I am happy that I won it for the sake of myself and my family,” said Gautam who sells ‘dahi bara aloo dum’ and ‘chakuli aloo kassa’ in a food cart which has been provided to him by a local organisation, So Am I Foundation Trust. The trust also provides him the food items every day and pays him a salary of Rs 8,000 per month for selling them.

Santosh Behera of Niladri Vihar has a similar story. Dance was his passion and he earned a living by dancing in music albums. But his passion was shadowed by his addiction to drugs. After staying in the rehab centre this year, Santosh has given up drugs. He now sells snacks near Care hospital in the city and has also started pursuing his passion for dance.

Around 15 youths like Gautam and Santosh, who were addicted to drugs, have got a new lease of life following an initiative - DREAMS (de-addiction, reformation and entrepreneurial assistance for making a safe society) - by local police and civil society organisations. The de-addiction drive continued at local drug rehabilitation centres from February to May this year after which, police mainstreamed them through skill training.

“50 drug addict criminals who were out on bail were selected for de-addiction. After the four-month long reformation programme under the supervision of Indian Institute of Education and Care ended in May, we facilitated livelihood and employment opportunities for them with the help of So Am I Foundation Trust and the Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Limited,” said Additional CP Umashankar Dash.

Of the 50, police and the organisations provided food and fruit carts to 15 youths while the rest have taken up work as masons, painters, drivers and ancillary staff in private firms. Meanwhile, DCP Prateek Singh said there are plans to start the second phase of DREAMS in the coming days.The rehabilitation programme was conducted with the assistance of Odisha Mining Corporation.

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