MAPUSA
In an effort to keep children away from substance abuse, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has appealed to the public to report any sale of liquor and tobacco products around educational institutes to Child Welfare Police Officers or Police Inspectors of Police Stations in the respective jurisdiction.
The Commission sought help from the general public to report to Goa Police who are directed to conduct a special drive in line with the legal provisions with regard to sale of liquor and sale of biddies/cigarettes, gutka and other tobacco products around the schools/educational institutes including coaching centres.
“There is need of small efforts to wean away children from substance abuse through some corrective and preventive measures, through convergent actions in a time bound manner,” said Peter Borges, Chairperson of Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
“The Joint Action Plan is formulated to streamline all strategies and the efforts made by various authorities, institutions and agencies to bring a paradigm shift in the direction of drugs and substance abuse prevention amongst the children,” he added.
He further said that it was a framework to wean away children from drug abuse and to stop selling of drugs in surrounding areas of schools/educational and child care institutions through convergent actions in a time-bound manner.
“It also adopts some of the strategic interventions to prevent the reach of pharmaceutical drugs, substances and other forms of goods used as intoxicants by the children,” Borges said.
He said the public can also share information on Whatsapp @ 7030941330 to the Commission.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has prepared and released a Joint Action Plan on “Prevention of Drugs and Substance Abuse Among Children and Illicit Trafficking” on February 9.
