‘Drug-free campus’ declaration a must for schools, colleges: Admin

GREATER NOIDA: To curb substance abuse among the youth, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has mandated for schools and colleges to submit declarations affirming that their campuses are drug-free, officials said on Tuesday.

Educational institutions complying with the directive will be recognised and honoured by the administration, they added.

The decision was taken during a district-level meeting of the Narcotics Coordination Committee (NCORD) presided over by district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma on Tuesday.

During the meeting, an overview of the enforcement actions taken so far to tackle the menace of narcotics was presented, said district excise department officials. Besides, officials from the police department, health authorities, education sector, and NGOs also participated, sharing insights and suggesting strategies to bolster the district’s anti-drug campaign.

Calling drug addiction among the youth one of the biggest challenges of the present time, the DM said: “Widespread awareness campaigns should be carried out in collaboration with medical and engineering colleges, universities, residential welfare associations (RWAs), and voluntary organisations.”

He directed all concerned departments to carry out surprise inspections in hostels and PG accommodations to ensure they remain free of any illegal substance-related activities. The DM also emphasised on the importance of sensitising students residing in such premises.

“The meeting was an important step in strengthening coordination among departments to tackle drug abuse. Our focus is on strict enforcement and spreading awareness, especially among the youth,” said district excise officer (DEO) Subodh Kumar.

To ensure effective outreach, officials said mass awareness will be conducted in partnership with medical and engineering colleges, universities, RWAs, and NGOs. The departments, particularly police and excise, will launch coordinated action, to eliminate the sources of narcotic supply in the district.

As part of the campaign, the excise department has also been instructed to circulate a toll-free number widely in educational institutions to encourage anonymous reporting of drug-related incidents. “The identity of the informant must be kept confidential at all costs,” the DM said.

“The excise department will be intensifying its enforcement efforts and collaborating closely with educational institutions and other stakeholders to foster a drug-free environment across the district,” the DEO said.

To be sure, the NCORD is a four-tier mechanism set by the central government to enhance coordination among various stakeholders involved in combating drug trafficking and abuse. This structure includes apex level, executive level, state level, and district level committees. The district level NCORD committees, chaired by DMs, play a vital role in implementing anti-drug initiatives at the grassroots level.