Cycle rally to spread awareness against drug abuse

Special Correspondent

Silchar, June 26: In order to create and spread awareness against drug abuse and its harmful effects on citizens, particularly among youths, BSF Frontier, Mizoram and Cachar organized a cycle rally on the International Day against drug abuse and illegal trafficking on Tuesday with accent on the theme of the year ‘listen first’. Despite being engaged in and committed to guarding the international border as the first line of defence, BSF is also sensitive to the prevailing social evils like drug-menace and its determination to strengthen and achieve the goal of international society free of drug abuse.

The keynote speech on the occasion was delivered by N S Jamwal, Inspector General, Mizoram and Cachar Frontier BSF. He said drug abuse has taken an endemic form in most of the states of India. The illicit drug trade along Golden Crescent, traditionally the regions between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, has serious implications for the state of western India. Likewise, a word of caution is appropriate to understand the ugly behemoth of narcotics trafficking intertwined with ethnic insurgencies in the neighbouring Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) which directly affects the youths of north east.

Besides heroin, cannabis, opium as well as huge quantities of illicit drugs like Yaba, WY, Methamphetamine among others are easily made available through Indo-Myanmar porous border to the states of Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Mizoram. This multifaceted phenomenon not only affects the individual in particular but the society in general. Use of drugs, especially among school and college students is on the rise. Young children at the age of 14 to 15 years are most vulnerable as they are prone to experiment even with intoxicants and drugs.

“We should listen to them first to help them grow healthy and safe as their minds are more resilient. Society should be strict and keep a vigilant eye on anti-national elements that target the school going children and youths so that the coming generations can be free from such kinds of social evils”, pointed out Inspector General Jamwal. He expressed thankfulness to all the participants and made a clarion call to one and all to unite and fight against the menace of drug and all other contraband goods.

More than 100 BSF cyclists led by IG himself took part in the rally who were also joined by youths of the area. The rally covered a distance of about 20 km through the lanes of Silchar town, spreading message to mankind and to remain away from drug abuse. Similar rallies against the drug abuse were held by other BSF headquarters and units of this Frontier in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. A lecture-seminar against drug abuse in detail was delivered by Dr W Thoiba Singh, Comdt (Med) at BSF Campus, Masimpur.