Kozhikode schools told to report drug abuse cases

Vigilance mechanism to keep strict watch over schools: Collector

: District Collector C.A. Latha has warned of stern action against educational institutions that are reluctant to cooperate with the ongoing attempts of the district administration and various enforcement squads to prevent drug abuse among students.

The Collector was addressing a district-level monitoring committee meeting of the police and Excise department officials at the Civil Station, here, on Saturday.

Ms. Latha said there was an unhealthy trend on the part of some educational institutions to conceal incidents related to drug abuse on grounds that it would harm their reputation. “Hereafter, such attempts would be taken very seriously and disciplinary action would be initiated against such managements,” she asserted.

Ms. Latha made it clear that the district administration would introduce a proper vigilance mechanism to keep a watch on such schools and monitor the attitude of the management. “The rules were being implemented strongly as the Excise Department had already reported several incidents of drug abuse in which even girl students had become victims,” she revealed.

Senior Excise Department officials who attended the meeting said complaint boxes would be put up at all educational institutions in the district to help students to exchange confidential information with the enforcement squads. The drop boxes would be opened once in two weeks and the complaints would be entered in a separate register book for action.

Excise Joint Commissioner C.M. Shanawaz, Assistant Commissioner P.K. Suresh, Regional Drugs Inspector Subhash V. Menon, Deputy Director of Education K.P. Prasannakumari, Deputy Superintendent of Narcotics Cell M.N. Vijayakumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police C. Aravindakshan and District Medical Officer P.K. Mohanan were present at the monitoring committee meeting.