Mangalore, August 12: The principals of various colleges urged the Mangalore City police to keep a vigil on small shops in the college surroundings including mobile shops and cigarette stalls, in order to curb the growing drug mafia in the city.
The college principals unanimously stated that drugs are supplied to the college students by these shops, where the students gather in a group during their leisure time.
In the all city college principals' meeting on drug abuse organised by the City Police Commissionerate at Commissioner's office on Thursday, the college principals, student representatives, NGOs, doctors, media persons and police came under a single roof to discuss the possible ways to curb growing drug mafia in the city which is affecting the youngsters.
Addressing the gathering, Canara College Principal Prof G N Bhat said that when his college staff recently examined few shops in the college surroundings, they found that the small shops were the centre of illegal activities. The college students visit the empty shops, where drugs are supplied. The police should keep an eye on these shops and raid them once in a while, he requested.
Responding to his plea, Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh agreed to keep a vigil. However, he asked the College principals to inform him about the drug peddlers in person.
K S Hegde College Psychiatry Department Head Dr Satish Rao informed that majority of those who visit the de-addition centre are youngsters. More youngsters are prone to drug addiction and particularly the increase in number of high school students who come for de-addiction centre is a cause of concern, he said.
Sharada Vidyalaya Principal Dr Leela Upadhyaya stressed on the need to set up a counselling cell which could be used by the college students and staff whenever the problem arises regarding drug addiction.
The police commissioner asked the students to form small groups in the colleges to collect information about drug addicts and peddlers.
“Along with the police, the college teachers, students and their parents must hold equal responsibility in curbing the drug mafia. Small group of students should keep vigil on their mates and collect information regarding the drug supply and then inform the teachers or the police,” said the Commissioner.
Sharing information about a surprising trend that has boomed in the city colleges, Narayana Guru College lecturer Shiva Prasad said that in the new development students deposit their college identity cards to buy cigarettes from shops, in case they do not have money to buy cigarettes.
The students' representatives and NGO members stressed on the need to organise awareness camps in the colleges on drug addiction so that students could be kept away from drug addition to some extent.
With an objective to curb the growth of drug mafia involving college going youngsters in the city, the Mangalore Police Commissionerate has asked the general public to communicate drug related information to police by dialling the helpline.
The police commissioner said that the public can call 9480802305 and communicate the information regarding drug abuse. He also said that Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) will start functioning from August 15, which could be used to record complaints regarding drug supply.
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