International Day against Drug Abuse: RWAs in tandem with police to combat drug abuse in city

Hyderabad: On the occasion of The International Day against Drug Abuse on June 26, to eliminate drug consumption from society, the Residents Welfare Association (RWAs) along with the support of the police department has planned to constitute co-ordination committees and start a year-long awareness campaign in the Eastern part of the city.

In this mission to eliminate drugs from the city, the Telangana Police department, Peace Committee members, Senior Citizens Associations and several NGOs are supporting the members of the RWAs.

According to the RWA, crimes by drug addicts are rising by the day. To remove this from the root, there is a need for proper awareness, so they are planning to visit various education institutions, religious places and also residential areas and spread awareness on drug abuse by organising rallies, conducting seminars, stage plays and street plays.

L Srilatha, convener, Narcotics Drug Elimination Committee of the United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations, said, “Every day, there is an increase in drug addict cases, and the main reason is that still many people are not well aware of the ill-effects of it. So in that regard, recently we met with Giridhar Ravula, DCP East Zone and we came up with an action plan and it was decided to constitute co-ordination committees with the police station sector-wise, along with RWAs, Peace Committees and NGOs.RWAs will be the convener for the committees and they will be formed very soon. In the long run, the role of the committee would be assigned, and members will be visiting slums, colonies, black spots (graveyards, isolated places), schools, colleges &universities to make them drug-free areas.We will also be meeting all religious leaders and request them to discuss about this issue in their day-to-day gatherings.”

Syed Khaled Shah, a member of the United Federation of Residents Welfare Associations said,“At the initial stage, we have planned to begin the awareness campaign in the Eastern part of the city on June 26,on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse.Then we have a plan to extendthe campaign to all parts of the city.We will not stop the mission until drug abuse is eradicated from the city”.