`Yuva Mandals’ to `Youth Clubs’: Six lakh abusers to be rehabilitated under  `Nasha Mukt J&K’ campaign

Srinagar: For the last eight months, Saqib (name changed) has been showing improvement in a rehab center.

 His body is getting detoxified and `chasing the dragon’ syndrome too has ebbed.

However, Saqib is worried for all of his friends who are chronic drug abusers. “I know many people who would sell drugs to me. Many like me still consume drugs and have none to take them to rehabilitation,” he said.

Enter Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan, Saqib is expecting his friends to join the rehab programme.

Under this programme, around six lakh drug addicts will be identified and rehabilitated in Jammu and Kashmir. “Drug addiction is plaguing Jammu and Kashmir. I am hoping youth who have fallen into drug addiction will be freed from addiction, ” Saqib said.

Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir was launched on September 1 and will conclude on September 30.

A multi-level approach will be adopted to tackle the menace of drug abuse during the campaign. The government has set September 15 deadline of identifying six lakh drug addicts for rehabilitation and intensive follow-ups.

An official document accessed by The Kashmir Monitor revealed that multiple departments headed by Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary}, Home Department as overall in-charge, and Social Welfare Department as Nodal Department have been lined up for the campaign.

“There shall be a complete shift in the approach towards victims with a focus on providing medical assistance and rehabilitation to the victims. Complete confidentiality shall be maintained about the sources of information provided for identifying drug peddlers and details of drug victims,” the document said.

Social welfare department has been tasked to involve Anganwadi and  Asha workers to identify drug abuse victims and their rehabilitation. They will raise awareness about drug abuse in their respective villages.

The department according has also been given a task to ensure coordination between NGOs, the National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention, and the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences for tackling drug abuse.

Similarly, the rural development department as per the campaign schedule will organize gram sabha and panchayat meetings in coordination with the NGOs, activists, social and health workers.

From holding competitions to forming Yuva Mandals, Youth Clubs, and Sangathans, the administration has decided to involve the student community to spread mass awareness about drug abuse.

The document said the health department will set up de-addiction rehabilitation centers in all the districts with OPD and IPD facilities.

“Municipal and urban local bodies will spread the message of drug abuse in localities through mobile vans,” it said.

Other departments including Home Department, Transport, Youth Service and Sports, tourism, information, culture floriculture, and agriculture department too have been ordered to participate in the programme.

Experts have appreciated the campaign initiated by the government, believing it can help bring down the menace of drug addiction in Jammu and Kashmir.

“It is a good programme started by the government and was much needed in Jammu and Kashmir. It has everything from capacity building to the identification and treatment of an addict. The government has involved all the stakeholders to make it a successful program,” said Yasir Ahmad Rather, Associate professor at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) GMC Srinagar.