Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi
Mangaluru/Udupi, Jun 6: The sale and consumption of ganja and narcotic substances are steadily increasing across Karnataka, with the youth being the most affected. Alarmingly, in the coastal region, famously known as the land of intellectuals, 395 cases have been registered over the past two years, with 144 students among the accused.
According to data provided by the home department, Udupi district recorded 272 cases related to ganja and narcotics in 2023 alone, in which 109 students were named as accused. In 2024, 123 cases were registered, involving 35 students.
The coastal region houses a large number of educational institutions, including prominent medical colleges, attracting students from across India and abroad. These students are increasingly being targeted by drug networks, resulting in a significant number falling prey to narcotic addiction, particularly in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada (DK) districts.
What measures are being taken to control the menace?
District-level Narco Coordination Centre Mechanism Committee (NCORD) meetings are held under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, involving officers from the Departments of Education (DDPI, DDPU), District Child Protection Unit, Social Welfare, Health, and other relevant departments. These meetings focus on taking various precautionary measures for the safety of school and college students.
Students with low attendance in schools and colleges are provided counselling, and their parents are also informed and given counselling if needed. Shops located near educational institutions are being monitored closely. Workshops and awareness sessions are organized periodically. Walls inside school premises are being painted with murals depicting the harmful effects of drug abuse, visually conveying the dangers. Programmes such as street plays and discussions are organized for students to create awareness. On the first day of every month, students are encouraged to take an anti-drug abuse pledge.
Authorities are intensifying efforts to combat this growing threat and safeguard the future of the youth in the coastal belt.