Students and Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) volunteers took out two rallies in the city on Friday in connection with International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to create awareness of the menace of drugs.
High Court Judge R. Mahadevan flagged off a rally organised by Narcotics Control Bureau in which members of the IRCS, college students, National Cadet Corps cadets, and students from Kendriya Vidyalaya and volunteers from M.S. Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation participated.
Justice Mahadevan said that it was high time the youngsters were educated about the evils of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
He said that the drug menace was posing a major challenge in many countries.
The students carried placards asking the people to stay away from drugs.
Director of Health and Sanitation Wing of IRCS, Madurai, .M. Vijayasaravanan; Special Public Prosecutor C. Arul Vadivel; and Intelligence Officers of the NCB, Madurai Zone, Rajan Kumar, Joseph Dhanraj and S. Sharique Omar, took part in the campaign.
The NCB officials also conducted a training programme for Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on drugs. Mr. Rajan Kumar said he urged for educating the new RPF recruits on drug trafficking in trains and other modes of transport.
Collector L. Subramanian flagged off rallies organised by the Indian Red Cross from the Collectorate premises to Elango Corporation Boys’ School campus to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The students held banners and placards with slogans against usage of drugs and distributed pamphlets on adverse affects of drug addiction.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Subramanian asked the students not to fall prey to drug addiction. “It is a cause for concern that many youngsters are taking to drugs and students should motivate one another not to indulge in it,” he said.
Students from Madurai Kamaraj University, Lady Doak College and S. Vellaichamy Nadar College took part in the rally.
