26.75 lakh youth sensitised; 923 FIRs, over 1,000 arrests in 51 days
Ovaise Gul
Srinagar, Jun 03: The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), amid the ongoing 100-day Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyaan, has gained momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government reaching out to over 44 lakh people to sensitise them about substance abuse through more than 24,000 activities.
According to details accessed by Rising Kashmir, the government has reached out to 44,93,674 people across the region, including 26,75,639 youth and 18,18,035 women, through 24,835 activities conducted at various levels, including educational institutions. A total of 44,378 educational institutions across J&K have been covered under the campaign.
In Srinagar alone, 1,728 activities were conducted, reaching 9,88,410 people, including 3,76,255 youth and 3,38,301 women. A total of 6,655 educational institutions and 15 villages were covered in the district under the anti-drug campaign.
Notably, at the national level, over 27 crore people have been sensitised, including over 10.06 crore youth and more than 7 crore women, through over 8.55 lakh activities.
To further intensify efforts against the drug menace, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a 100-day Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan on April 11 in Jammu.
In the first 51 days of the ongoing drive, 923 FIRs have been registered against drug traffickers, more than 1,000 drug smugglers and peddlers arrested, over 55 traffickers detained under PIT-NDPS provisions, 668 driving licenses cancelled, and recommendations made to revoke 124 passports.
The Lieutenant Governor has stated that the fight against drugs is not limited to raids and arrests but also involves breaking the supply chain, generating public awareness, and working towards dignified rehabilitation for those suffering from addiction.
The campaign was launched on August 15, 2020, by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment in 272 identified vulnerable districts and was later extended to all districts from August 15, 2023. The drug-free J&K campaign has witnessed massive public participation in its pledge against drug abuse, significantly exceeding the 1,71,462 figure.