MARGAO
Aam Aadmi Party Velim MLA Cruz Silva has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to direct the Goa Police to initiate targeted investigations into drug networks operating in and around educational campuses.
After the autopsy confirmed the presence of narcotics in connection with the death of student of BITS Pilani, Goa Rishi Nair, the Velim MLA has further called for compliance audits for all higher education institutions under Supreme Court guidelines related to student safety and substance control. “IIntroduce mandatory drug awareness and mental health programs across schools, colleges, and universities in Goa. Establish student-led safety and wellness committees with protected channels for reporting concerns”, he said, while requesting the government to ensure accountability from college administrations, with quarterly reporting to the Education and Law Ministries.
“As Chief Minister and Law Minister, your leadership is crucial in ensuring that Goa’s youth are protected not just from external threats, but from systemic neglect. Let this memorandum serve as a call to action not after another tragedy, but now”, he said.
In the memorandum, Silva said it widely acknowledged even among students who abstain, that narcotics are easily accessible on campus. “The fact that students know where drugs are available, while law enforcement and college authorities remain passive, is a grave failure of institutional responsibility”, Silva added.
