VILLUPURAM: The State government and the district administration had kicked off an awareness campaign against drugs earlier this month that involved oath ceremonies, human chain rallies, music rallies and pamphlet distribution across schools and colleges.
The campaign trail involved over 20,000 students who participated in various events, according to official sources. But the larger questions remain unanswered: Has the message really reached the ones who need it, and will such campaigns ever help youngsters get rid of drugs.
According to the district police, in the last three months alone five minors were booked in drug abuse cases in Villupuram. Apart from this, 17 cases of ganja sales/consumption/peddling and 60 cases on gutkha were booked. Data shows the district reports one such case every 28 hours as 77 cases were booked in 90 days. With this being the reality, the campaign strategies really seem to fall behind in making an impact.
“Does the government really think that by advising or advertising quotes against drugs can stop a young boy from consuming it? Reality is no, and we all can agree to that. Increasing policing and finding innovative policing methods to track the sellers can only have a real impact. But the government almost never reveals anything on that front,” said U Karkee, secretary of an NGO that works with rural students on education and employment.
Karkee further said that during his intervention with over 1,000 youth over the last 13 years of his service, the ones addicted to drugs were the most critical to handle as despite getting employed, they would not take it up and instead go back to their friends for drugs.
Speaking about the issue, District Superintendent of Police N Sreenatha told TNIE, “It is a serious issue and the police are taking up various strategies to curb it. First of all, we are trying to identify sources/peddlers in the district. Investigation revealed that there is no drug gang that operates in the district but fringe individual members.” The SP said these members go to Chennai or Tiruvannamalai to secure large quantities of ganja and similar substances and then sell it in Villupuram for market price.
When TNIE interacted with a few students who claimed to have consumed drugs, it was evident that the market chain was still intact. A 16-year-old boy from Villupuram town said, “We get the materials through various sources, including children, and take it to secluded places in the town like the abandoned railway colony or the railway track at Katpadi gate area.
We get together at early hours in the morning and late at night and no police would come there for inspection. Sometimes even the cops are scared of messing with the people behind the drug trade here.” Another youngster confessed that despite the campaign, the availability of substances has not reduced a bit and that these efforts made little impact on the drug market.
Suggesting alternatives to the campaign, a major and repeated suggestion from a group of 15 youngsters from across the town was to revive the playgrounds in the district with proper security so that the peddlers can’t get hold of the boys. Further, they also demanded regular sports events to be conducted by the government and also the setting up of libraries or event centres that can open the avenues of creative activities like music, art and the likes before them. The district collector responded to the issue saying a serious and continued interaction on the issue will be held and required changes will be brought soon.