TMB Report
Imphal: Minister of Social Welfare, Heikham Dingo raised concern over the easy availability of drugs which has reached an alarming stage in the state.
The minister was speaking as the Chief Guest of a one day Media Awareness Workshop on Media Focus on Demand Reduction of Drugs as a part of War on Drugs was jointly organised by Editor’s Guild Manipur and Social Welfare Department at Sangai Continental on Saturday.
Dingo highlighted the ill impacts of drugs which has utterly affected the society, apart from hinderinh the development of the state with many youths getting addicted to drugs. He stated that drugs have been seized every now and then and is heard in daily news however, the issue of drugs still prevails in our state.
He said that in the past the issue of drug abuse was heard and seen only in the heart of Imphal but today, the issue is revolving all around the state .
He appreciated the initiative of EGM and the department for organising the workshop and stressed that the main concern of the state is to eliminate the issue of drugs and demand reduction.
He pointed out that the government has also taken initiative to launch War Against drugs and that fighting drug menace is not the sole responsibility of the government.
Support of Meira Paibis, NGOs, student bodies and CSOs is the need of the hour.
The workshop was also attended Director of Social Welfare, Ng Uttam as the guest of honour and President of Editor’s Guild Manipur, Khomdram Khogendra as the President.
DR RK Lenin, HOD, Department of Psychiatry, RIMS, elaborated on Empowering Youths to Say No To Drugs, Ng Uttam gave his speech on Importance of Demand Reduction in Drug Policy and RK Tiken, SASO on the role of NGOs in Demand Reduction Interaction as resource persons.
