Jaipur, Sep 5 (PTI) More than one lakh teachers, students, parents and villagers across over 300 villages in Rajasthan participated in community meetings against drug abuse on Saturday as part of a statewide ‘Lok Sankalp’ campaign on Teachers’ Day.
The ‘Lok Sankalp Gram Sabhas’ were organised under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, led by Prof Shyam Sunder Jyani, convener of the Nai Kiran De-Addiction Centre at Government Dungar College, Bikaner, and founder of the movement.
The meetings focused on preventing addiction and challenging its social acceptance. Participants discussed alcohol and tobacco as well as narcotics, synthetic drugs, misuse of prescription medicines, painkillers, e-cigarettes and nicotine products.
At Adarsh School in Gusaisar
Bada village of Bikaner district, around 2,000 students, teachers and parents formed a human formation depicting the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
The campaign also stressed the role of parents and families in preventing substance abuse among children and young people.
“The most effective battle against addiction is not fought in hospitals but within families and schools. When parents remain emotionally connected with their children, most forms of substance abuse can be prevented before they begin,” Jyani said.
Jyani and his wife Kavita also began a fast on Saturday that will continue until October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, as a symbolic effort to promote self-discipline and social awareness against addiction.
The organisers announced plans to launch a one-year community-based addiction prevention programme in more than 100 villages, involving teachers, students, parents, village representatives and volunteers.
A digital resource portal, loksankalp.org, has also been developed to provide material on addiction prevention, community mobilisation, behavioural change and parenting. The platform includes 16 Hindi booklets on these subjects. PTI AG SHS
