'Have nodal officer in schools and colleges to check substance abuse'

Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha directed officials to appoint a teacher in each school and college as nodal officer to prevent substance abuse among schoolchildren.

Chairing a meeting of district-level Drug Abuse Prevention Committee here on Wednesday, he said there are instances of students from educational institutions known for imparting quality education are falling prey to drug abuse. Increase in drug abuse is a matter of serious concern. In this background, if a teacher in each school is appointed as nodal officer, it would help in tackling tendency of deviant behaviour in adolescents, he said. The teachers should submit report every month. The report should also be submitted to jurisdictional police stations to initiate suitable action, if any instances of substance abuse is reported in the school. 

The deputy commissioner said the victims of substance abuse should be identified and rehabilitated so that they will come to the mainstream at the earliest. He said joint director of Collegiate Education, PU Board deputy director and Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) should chalk out programmes in this regard.

Registration mandatory
To check child marriages, the officials should keep an eye on mass marriages to ensure that minor is not married during mass marriages. Age proof should be made mandatory in all mass marriages and the marriage should be registered compulsorily. Awareness on the ill-effects of child marriage should be intensified.

The printing presses, marriage hall, community halls should continue the process of marriage only after confirming the age of bride and groom.  Dr Jagadeesha directed all the tahsildars to identify land for anganwadi centres in those areas where the anganwadi centres do not own a building. In case of availability of land, then upto 30 cents can be sanctioned to an anganwadi centre. The deputy commissioner directed deputy director of Women and Child Welfare department to verify the availability of swing, slide outside the centre for the children to play in the anganwadi centres.

District Legal Services Authority member secretary Mallana Gowda, ZP Standing Committee on Social Justice president Asha Thimmappa Gowda, Child Welfare Committee (CWC)  chairperson Nikhesh Shetty and others were present.