Bank is capable of reaching out to all parts of UT to help curb the drug menace: Baldev Prakash MD/CEO
SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Bank in collaboration with Directorate of Health and Directorate of School Education has launched a mega project “Najaat”to combat the drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir.J&K Bank MD/CEO Baldev Prakash launched the project in the presence of Director Health Kahmir /Jammu and Director School Education Jammu and Joint Director Kashmir. Bankofficials and other dignitaries including some renowned Media houses were also present on the event.
Speaking On the occasion ,the MD/ CEO said ,from past two to three years the bank has been doing wellat its level , netprofitis increasing every passing quarter and based on that we are able to launch this mega project “NAJAAT” which will help to curb the drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir .To achieve this goal ,we are three key stake holders and as a strong financial organisation we are there for betterment of the society and the bank will take every step to reach out to the people especially in remote areas and make them aware of the ill effects of tobacco and drugs as it is becoming a major concern of Jammu and Kashmir. He appealed to the Directorate of School Education Jammu and Kashmir ,that it is the responsibility of teachers to provide the proper education to the children to deal with the menace of drug abuse .The MD/CEO appealed to the media houses to publish more and more reports of drug menace on priority bases as there is a wide range of print and electronic media which can create awareness among the common people who are victim of drug abuse so that we can achieve our goal in a short time.
Earlier Director Health Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather said that there is a lot of confusions regarding the increase in drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir .DHSK conducted a survey in all the districts in collaboration with Social Welfare department and Psychiatry department of GMC Srinagar .we have seen out of 70,000 drug addicts 50,000 addicts were IV drug users.This is the present scenario of our KashmirValley.
Dr Rather said , that we have to understand main root cause of the drug menace, unless we take one direction, it is impossible to curb this menace. Broken families and nuclear families are also a major reason . Parents are not taking care of their children ,the concept of grandparents is no more there in our society .We have seen that parents do not pay much attention to children and this isolation creates havoc in the younger generation .
He added, that several events are being organised by Mohalla committees ,Religious leaders and other civil society activists ,but it is very disappointing that they are not talking about drug use in mosques and other religious gatherings .They are trying to divert the problems even as they see the situation in their areas ,where we can see young children openly taking drugs and smoking .He said that smoking is becoming first step towards drug addiction.
We have to work together to overcome this crises, the police and crime branches re doing their job but as the main stakeholder it is our duty to make the society drug-free .He said that 272 districts have been identified for ATF centers under Prime Minister Nasha Mukt Bharat ,but we are the first to set up ATF centres. He said that it parents are feeling any kind of insomnia ,fatigue and restlessness or discomfort in their children, then you should be careful that something is wrong ,the Director Health added that people from the age of 8 to 60 years are addicted to drugs. On the occasion Director health Jammu Dr Rajeev Kumar Sharma also said that we are all ready to work together to make Jammu and Kashmir drug-free. Director School Education Jammu, Ashok Kumar Sharma ,appreciated the initiative of J&K Bank and said that the Department is fully cooperating in this regard and teachers are fully making the students aware about the drug menace .That is why the department is taking steps and monitoring the activities of children very closely .
Joint Director Education Kashmir, Rouf Ur Rehman urged the society especially parents that Laptops ,and other items are not enough for children but work should be done to reduce the gap between parents and child and grandparents and grand-children.He said, that we should spend quality time with our children so that children feel a conducive atmosphere.