J&K Lt. Gov. Launches 100-Day Anti-Drug Campaign

Jammu, April 11: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a 100-day campaign on Saturday to eradicate drug abuse across Jammu and Kashmir, kicking off the initiative with a large padyatra from Maulana Azad Stadium that drew thousands of participants.

The Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan aims to curb the growing menace of narcotics through coordinated efforts involving awareness programs, enforcement actions and rehabilitation services. Sinha, addressing a gathering after flagging off the two-kilometer walkathon to Parade Ground, emphasized the campaign's role in protecting the youth from what he described as a profound social crisis. "We have given voice to a resolve that will reach every village, town, city, home, and heartbeat in the UT, fulfilling the pledge of a drug-free region," he said.

The drive comes amid rising concerns over substance abuse in the union territory, where authorities have seized more than 68,000 kilograms of narcotics over the past five years. Estimates from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment indicate that over 1.3 million adults in Jammu and Kashmir use addictive substances, with opioids being the most prevalent. Officials attribute much of...