Joining hands with the Punjab Government to eradicate the menace of drug abuse from the State, social activist and country's first women IPS officer Kiran Bedi on Wednesday called for well-knit and coordinated approach for the same. The retired police officer suggested roping in services of social and volunteer organisations besides focusing on synergy amongst policing, enforcement, drug de-addiction and rehabilitation to get rid of the growing drug menace.
Bedi, who called on the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to share her experience and expertise to curb this curse at Kapurthala House in the national Capital, apprised him that she had waged a war against drug abuse in Tihar Jail to reform inmates who were habitual drug addicts. She opined, "The State Government alone could not get desired results unless they involve families of these victims for their proper counseling. The concept of family counseling is needed and trained family counselors should be engaged to handle such persons with a sense of belongingness, care and respect instead of rebuking them as drug addicts."
Bedi maintained that the State Government should engage services of NGOs like Rotary, lion Club and Inner Wheel to make this campaign far more effective and result oriented. She also emphasized the need to treat drug addicts through alternative system of medicine like homeopathy, ayurveda and unani along with the allopathy.
lauding the initiatives taken by Chief Minister to tackle this grave problem efficaciously, Bedi said that upcoming rehabilitation centers in all districts of state was a revolutionary step to enable the drug addicts to lead a normal life with self respect and dignity. She stressed on the need to equip these rehabilitation centers with skill development facilities in trades like electrical repair, plumbing, information and technology and others.
Bedi also highlighted the significance of sports to encourage these reformed youth to take up sports so that their unbounded energy could be channelised in a constructive manner. "All stakeholders in this crusade including state administration, Police, NGOs and Civil Society should play a proactive role to smear the blot of drug addiction from the face of Punjab," she added.
Responding, Badal welcomed Bedi's vital inputs on drug de-addiction and rehabilitation and invited her to join state government in this great mission. Maintaining that it was state government's top most priority, Badal said that he was confident that the problem of drug abuse in the state "would be wiped out forever within next one and half years".
Badal asked his Principal Secretary SK Sandhu and Principal Secretary Health Vinni Mahajan to incorporate suggestions put forth by Bedi in making the state Board on Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation and subsequent societies registered in all districts broad based by ensuring membership to representatives of reputed NGOs and activists of civil society.