Shimla Unites Against Drugs: Citizens Take  Pledge to Fight Substance Abuse

Shimla, Mar 23: A seminar titled “Shimla Against Drugs” was organized at Gaiety Theatre under the aegis of Shyamala Educational and Social Welfare Trust. The event saw the presence of Hon’ble Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, as the chief guest. Vice-Chancellor of HPU and CUHP, Prof. Sat Prakash Bansal, was the special guest. Participants pledged their commitment to fight against drug abuse in every possible way.

During the event, Dr. Nitin Vyas, President of the Trust, presented findings from a survey conducted on 2,000 residents of Shimla, highlighting key solutions such as promoting sports culture, conducting regular drug tests in schools, and increasing awareness about moral values. The survey report booklet “Shimla Against Drugs” was also released by the Hon’ble Governor.

Expressing deep concern about the safety of future generation, the Governor said that Drug addiction is destroying the talent of the youth and isolating them from the mainstream of society. Drug addiction destroys the abilities of a person, breaks families, and weakens the society. Every day children are losing their lives due to drug abuse.

Drugs not only affect the person but also have a negative impact on his family, society and future generations, he said. When a person falls prey to drugs, its effect is not limited to him only, but the entire family is affected mentally, economically and socially. Crime rate increases, health services are burdened, and the productivity of society decreases.

He said, “This fight is not just the responsibility of one person, but a shared responsibility of all of us. Parents, teachers, police administration, health department and every citizen have to be a part of this campaign. We need a collective resolve and strong will to eradicate this problem from its roots”.

He said that an intensive coordination of various departments is necessary to deal with this serious problem. Community participation in this campaign against drugs can be ensured by reaching out to schools, colleges, university campuses with special focus on the youth.

The Governor said that in an educated and developed area like Himachal, where the youth power has always been moving towards innovation, sports and nation-building, there should be no place for evils like drug addiction. He said that a public awareness movement was launched in Arki and Nalagarh of Solan and Hamirpur districts against drug abuse and to promote sports among the youth which was a great success.

“By implementing sports culture as a mitigation strategy, we can reduce the likelihood of drug abuse among young people, promote healthy lifestyles and behaviors, foster social connections and community engagement, provide positive role models and mentors, support mental health and well-being” said he.

Several individuals who played a crucial role in raising awareness against drug abuse were honored by the Governor. Mahendra Dharmani, Om Prakash Sharma, and Dr. Akhil Sharma were recognized for their contributions. Additionally, Abhishek Negi, Naveen Sharma, Pawan Sharma, Pankaj Sharma, Tarun Thakur, and Vishal Thakur were felicitated for their efforts in promoting fitness and sports culture among the youth.

A documentary on drug abuse was also unveiled, followed by speeches from key figures like Vishal, Tarun, Pawan, and Dr. Akhil. Major Dr. Ritu Kalra shared insights on tackling this social evil, while Prof. S.P. Bansal emphasized the role of education in preventing substance abuse.

The event concluded with a pledge-taking ceremony, a vote of thanks by General Secretary Isha Sharma, and the singing of the national anthem. The seminar witnessed participation from trust members, women, senior citizens, and youth from across Shimla.