Is State becoming UDTA Telangana?

Taking a serious note of the increasing incidents of ganja smuggling busts in the State and reports of the mafia luring farmers to grow ganja as an inter crop, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has asked the administration to clamp down on the supply of contraband across the State. He also took a serious note of the Hyderabad becoming a major hub for drugs like heroin, coming from Nigeria, and ganja from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Sweeping measures against the menace including warning of cancellation of Rythu Bandhu for farmers taking to ganja cultivation, a cross-section of society has welcomed the crackdown and put forth suggestions to stamp out the evil from the State. Here are excerpts:

There is an imperative need to curb the mushrooming culture of drug abuse in Telangana. The onus is on the government to protect people, especially youth from falling prey to drugs. It's high time for the government to focus on drug mafia and deal with the menace with iron hand. Parents and teachers also has the responsibility to keep an eye on students. We also need proactive measures from NGOs and civil societies to stop the State from turning into Udta Telangana.

Dr Pulla Srinivas, KU SC, ST Employee President, Warangal

Drug menace has wider ramifications spreading its tentacles across the cross section of society. Peer pressure is one of the reasons that influence adolescents' attraction to drugs. A free hand should be given to all the enforcement agencies in curbing drug menace. Any unholy nexus between all those concerned with undue political interference and lackadaisical attitude by the agencies concerned will only add to the societal woes. As a member of the District Tobacco Control Committee, I took the issue to the notice of the district and State administration.

Dr Ramaka Srinivas, Cardiologist, Pioneer of Anti-Tobacco Movement in Warangal

Government needs to wake up before youth fall in the throes of drug menace. Agencies dealing with drug menace need to go soft on drug-addicts considering them as victims. At the same time, they have to deal with the peddlers with an iron fist. A child's caring should begin from home under the watchful eyes of parents. Adolescents are more susceptible to alcohol and drugs. This is where parenting comes to the fore. We need regular monitoring of the grown-up children.

T Seshu, Lecturer in Economics, Warangal

It's painful to see youth, the future of India, fall victim to the habit of taking drugs. Drug addiction is a social evil. It affects an individual as well as the nation as a whole; hence, the onus is on the government to eradicate the malady. Drug addiction pushes people to lose their self-esteem. People need to understand that drug-addicts are victims and they need to be dealt with carefully. Both parents and educational institutions should keep surveillance on youth from tender age.

Ganta Srinivas, Hotelier, Hanumakonda

Gutka, pan and drugs became an unstoppable habit, which normally starts for fun. Like slow poison, they will kill people. Drug addicts will lose their thinking power and will become a burden for the family and society. The government's act to curb drug menace is commendable.

P Suryasree, Leethu's for the people NGO, Karimnagar