Srinagar, June 18: Care Kashmir International, a Srinagar-based non profit organised organized a day-long brainstorming session among multi disciplinary experts today to discuss ways to curb the increasing menace of drug addiction in Kashmir.
The session, held at the Hotel Raddison Stinagar, was chaired by Senior Counsel and Vice Chairman Care Kashmir Zaffar Shah. He said that the situation was alarming as everyday new cases of drug abuse are coming to light. He said that the data suggests that up to one million people are involved in drug addiction, which presents a huge challenge for the society.
Mr Shah called for starting a separate class of self-improvement for higher classes. He said that the problem is huge and the entire society has to come forward and make it a movement.
Renowned psychiatrist Arshad Hussain said that youth are the assets of a society. They are the able-bodied and disease-free, but this substance abuse has turned them into diseased people. Many of them ultimately succumb before destroying their lives and in some cases their families too. He said that imparting social skills and value-based education can play a vital role. He urged parents not to judge their wards on the basis of marks obtained in exams.
Former VC IUST Prof Mushtaq Siddiqui said that we are at the cusp of a generational shift but our education and parenting has not been updated to meet the challenges. He called for propagating the concept of social service among youth much like in the western world besides tweaking syllabus.
President Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) G N Var said that around 30% of the population are in schools and colleges and they need to be sensitised so as to prevent them from falling in the drug trap. He said that combined effort of parents and teachers can be a step in this direction.
Renowned hotelier Mushtaq Chaya said that the entire hotel industry has pledged their help to fight the drug menace. The representatives of the tourism sector said that drug addiction is now spreading its tentacles to service providers too. And it needs to be curbed before things go out of hand.
The brainstorming session was attended by a cross-section of society including social activists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, hoteliers, and representatives of the tourism sector. The participants discussed the issue in detail and came up with a number of suggestions to curb the menace of drug addiction in Kashmir.
The participants, who included prominent businessman Nasir Khan, Advocate Bashir Sidiq, CCIK President Tariq Bedaba, prominent social activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, KCCI Executive Committee member Farooq Kuthoo, among others, expressed hope that the brainstorming session will be a step in the right direction to curb the menace of drug addiction in Kashmir.
It was decided that a comprehensive plan will be drawn up to tackle the issue. The plan will include measures such as awareness campaigns, counseling, rehabilitation, and prevention. It was also decided to set up a helpline for drug addicts and their families.
