Says drug abuse a very serious issue, promises next meeting with Action Taken Report (ATRs) on issues discussed in meet
TDD Special Correspondent
Srinagar, (TDD): Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today told the Civil Society members that he will fight for the honour of people and that the J&K citizens should have first right on land, jobs and resources.
Omar also termed the growing drub abuse in J&K as a “very serious issue.”
Omar stated this while addressing the maiden interactive session with the members of Civil Society at SKICC in Srinagar.
“A wide-range of issues were discussed here. Speeches were made and claps were made in response The points highlighted by Private Schools Association head Dr G N Var somehow touched everyone. His points were not confined to his domain only but other broader issues,” he said as per the Diplomat.
The Chief Minister said: “Don’t we have a right to live a dignified life. Sadak, Bijli and Pani is something we will get. But all these things are meaningless if we have no respect. Here, I want to assure you that we will fight for the things. But I want our honour to be restored. People of J&K should have first right on their jobs, land and resources.”
He said that press, judiciary, Bar Association, trade unions, labour unions need to be strengthened.
“This is a need so that people feel there is no force or fear but a real handholding and cooperative approach,” Omar said.
Omar said J&K hasn’t reached a stage where it can run without a handholding. “Be it horticulture, power or other sectors, we need to reach a stage of self-sufficiency,” he said.
He said the issue of drug abuse raised by Civil Society members needs special attention. “When I was the CM, I made a speech on drugs in 2012. At that point of time, drugs were not that big an issue. It was confined to codeine and other pills etc. But today, things have changed. There is a consumption of heroine, brown sugar and other substances which is consuming the lives of our younger generation,” the CM said. He urged the religious heads and civil society member to join hands with the government to eradicate the drug menace from the society. “At the same time, there is a need for opening more Drug De-Addiction (DDA) centres across J&K,” he said.
The CM said that next time, he would meet the Civil Society members, Action Taken Reports (ATRs) will be shared on the issues discussed today. Cabinet Ministers Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Javaid Dar, Javaid Rana, Sakina Itoo, Satish Sharma were present besides Chief Secretary Atal Dullo, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir V K Bhiduri, IGP Kashmir V K Bhirdi, and other officers were present on the occasion—(TDD)
