• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura  

Agartala, January 20, 2022 : Tripura’s Youth Affairs and Sports department has organized an interaction meeting with members of the Agartala Club Forum (ACF) here in Agartala to combat drug consumption among youth.

During this interaction programme, the state Youth Affairs & Sports minister Sushanta Chowdhury; ACF president Pranab Sarkar; Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sadar, Tapas Kanti Paul; and members of almost 120 clubs in and around Agartala city were present.

Chowdhury administered a pledge in combatting the rise of drugs consumption by youth. He said that all necessary steps shall be initiated to curb the same. In this regard, the minister urged the guardians, i.e. clubs representatives to come forward and assist the police personnel by helping the society to get rid of this. He also asked the police personnel to initiate all necessary measures for bringing an end to this menace.

Welcoming the dignitaries and representatives of various clubs, Director of Youth Affairs & Sports department Subikash Debbarma sought cooperation from all the clubs in fighting out the threat of drugs consumption by youths of schools and colleges in around Agartala city.

He highlighted on four points to curtail the menace of drugs consumption among youths. These include – frequently organizing blood donation camps, campaign against drugs, activities for COVID-19 pandemic and sports goods to be distributed among 1500 registered clubs so that the youth get involved in different sports activities round the year.

While interacting with the Youth Affairs & Sports ministers and office bearers of ACF, representatives of various clubs in Agartala city expressed their views to check the spread of drugs consumption among youth and also noted locations, where youth consume such contraband substances usually.

The areas or spots identified in Agartala city are – Nagerjala, Jawahar Bridge, Dimsagar, Swami Vivekananda Maidan (Astabal), area behind East Agartala police station and Old Motorstand, Chittaranjan Road, Durga Chowmuhani area, etc.

The representatives also accused a section of police personnel for their alleged involvement in extending support to the drugs peddlers, dealers and mafias roaming free and selling their products among students in higher classes and colleges.

They also allegedly claimed a section of police personnel in respective local police stations or police outpost have a continuous chat with drugs dealers and mafias and help them way out by disseminating the information provided to them by local persons or guardians of the society.

Meanwhile, the Forum’s president Pranab Sarkar also accused a section of police officials for their alleged involvement in providing help to those drugs consumers, peddlers, traffickers and mafias, and added that maximum number of youth are involved in consumption of drugs.

The Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb made a clarion call of making Tripura a drugs-free state, but due to the unethical role of certain number of police personnel, the dream of CM cannot be fulfilled. He urged all including the state police to join hands and combat the menace of drugs consumption among youths.