Dawn Punjab Bureau / Chandigarh : A virtual discussion on a grave matter was held to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking, in a meet organized for students of Class XII-X by the Legal Literacy Club of KBDAV Senior Secondary Public School, Sector. 7- B, Chandigarh on the issue of drug abuse among the youth of the country. To enlighten the audience with the facts and figures was Mr. Gautam Bhardwaj, an advocate with the District Court and High Court, Punjab & Haryana, Chandigarh, and also a member of State Legal Services Authority, Sector. 9, U. T. Chandigarh, present as the Guest Speaker.
The discussion started with the presentation from Mr. Gautam, who spoke at length about the substance abuse that has been responsible for the end of many precious lives that could have otherwise been an asset to the country. He highlighted the increasing crime among the youth, all because they fail to arrange money to buy drugs, once they fall prey to the addiction. He talked of being aware of drug peddlers amongst us, especially around such vulnerable areas as schools and colleges, where students are an easy target for them. He touched on the legal and authoritative sides of the issue, mentioning how the National Legal Services Authority in collaboration with the State Legal Services Cells is keeping a hawk’s eye on the activities of the peddlers and nabbing them red-handed. He threw light on the susceptibility of the street children & sex workers to substance abuse. The cultivation of the illegal drugs is destroyed immediately, as the authorities swing into action on the information provided by the police, Narcotics Drug Bureau or even the general public, he said.
The interactive session was followed by a wonderful presentation from the School in the form of a video highlighting the menace of drug abuse, followed by a small virtual skit presented by the members of the Legal Literacy Club of the School from Class X & XI led by Shivansh of Class XI, who assembled the views of different students into a beautiful video, a power point presentation by Jhanvi of Class X on Information and History of International Day against Drug Abuse and finally a poem by Nishtha Kalia, a student of Class XII. A pledge at the end of the session locked the issue with the learners from the School resolving never to fall prey to the fatal addiction.
