1st Round Table on Drug Menace in Punjab at Chandigarh by Joshi Foundation

Collective efforts of families, society, govt needed to combat drug menace – experts

Instead of mudslinging chart a strong strategy against drugs – experts

Family, society, govt laxities responsible for drug menace – Sampla

To reform drug addicts is our social responsibility – Khanna

Collective efforts needed against drugs – Kalia

Joshi Foundation holds round table conference against drug addiction

Chandigarh, Jan 8, 2015
Joshi Foundation, headed by Punjab government’s asst media advisor Mr Vineet Joshi, today held a round table conference against drug menace wherein the experts opined that instead of mudslinging against each other, all of us should unite in battle against drug menace. Held at the PHD Chamber of commerce sector 31, the conference included Union Minister Mr Vijay Sampla, Rajya Sabha member Mr Avinash Rai Khanna, former Punjab minister and MLA Jalandhar Mr Manoranjan Kalia, International food and trade analyst Mr Devinder Sharma, former DGP Punjab Mr PC Dogra, Punjab Khadi Board chairman Mr Harjit Singh Grewal, Bharatiya Kisan Union’s leader Balvir Singh Rajewal, RSS Punjab joint general secretary Mr Amrit Sagar ji, retd Justice SN Aggarwal, former vice chancellor Panjab University Dr KN Pathak, national vice president of SD College Society Mr Desh Bandhu, DAV Management’s national secretary Mr Ravinder Talwar, cardiologist Dr H K Bali, former IPS Iqbal Singh Lalpura, chancellor Rayat Bahra University Mr Gurvinder Singh Bahra, Sai University chancellor Mr SK Punj, director Forits Hospital Ludhiana Vivan Gill, Rupeshwar Bharti from Divya Jyoti Jagran Sansthan, central in-charge of Patanjali Yog Samiti Laxmi Dutt, SC Commission Punjab chairman Rajesh Bagga, PSIEC chairman Shakti Sharma, Punjab Infotech chairman Manjit Singh Rai, Punjab School Education Board’s vice-chairman Kuldeep Agnihotri, Punjab State Corporation’s director Neeraj Tayal, Punjab Information Commissioner Surinder Awasthi, Human Rights Commission member Thakur Baljinder Singh, Kheti Virasat Mission’s director Umendra Dutt, environmentalist Dr Amar Singh Azad, Sewa Bharti Punjab general secretary Somnath ji, psychiatrist Dr Aprajita Lubana, SMO Dr Inderjit Singh Bhatia, Bharti Vikas Parishad national vice president Ajay Dutta, Chandigarh Press Club president Nanki Hans, Joshi Foundation’s general secretary and municipal councilor Saurabh Joshi .
Speaking at the event, the Union Minister Mr Vijay Sampla said that drug menace was an outcome of the entire system’s failure. He said that the family, society and government’s laxities have led to the drug menace seeping in society and taking such serious proportions. He added that in the times of materialism, parents have sidelined their emotions towards their children due to which the kids are finding solace in drug addiction.
Lok Sabha member and senior BJP leader Mr Avinash Rai Khanna said that it was responsibility of society to bring back the children who have fallen into the gorge of drugs and such addicts will have to be motivated towards shunning this evil.  He said that the youngsters should be imparted army-like discipline at the school level and encourage them towards sports to keep them away from drugs.
Former Punjab minister and MLA Jalandhar Mr Manoranjan Kalia said that every individual, family and government would have to make collective efforts to make society drug free. He added that drug addiction was a major cause of concern for not only the Punjab but for the entire world. He said that due to lack of societal guidance the youngsters were getting carried away towards drugs and hence the need was to strengthen family as a unit.
 
The Joshi Foundation’s president and media advisor to Government of Punjab Mr Vineet Joshi said that known as the pride of nation, the Punjab itself was getting defamed owing to drug addiction. He added that the Joshi Foundation has taken up cudgels against this under which different programs would be held in all the districts of Punjab.
The chairman of Punjab Small Scale Industries Corporation Shakti Sharma, who lost his son to drugs, said that the drugs being used in garb of religion had pushed today’s generation into a deep abyss. Without a strong will power, killing drug menace was not possible and for this the governments would have to take up strict measures, he said that the police should be freed from political pressure and motivated to take strict action.
 
ESI hospital Mohali’s SMO Dr Inderjit Singh Bhatia said parents would have to awaken against drugs and help their children undergo de-addiction. He said that the blind run for money and lack of knowing ones child has led to such situation.
Punjab Khadi Board chairman Harjit Singh Grewal said that the muck in political system has  encouraged drug addiction. He said that the political leaders should first themselves come out of the vicious cycle of drugs so that the youngsters can be motivated to do the same.
 
Former DGP Punjab Mr PC Dogra said that the law makers and law defenders should introspect and take strict action. He said that to free Punjab police from the political pressure, the young politicians should come forward. He said that all of us will have to get together in this war and the religious organizations too can give major contributions.
 
Environmentalist Umendra Dutt said that today’s society does not have a hero to look upto and out religion and spirituality has been clouded by materialism. He said that besides society, the media too would have to make a major contribution. He added that the aim of education should not be earning money but to become a good human being.  
 
Cardiologist Dr H K Bali said that strong laws should be made against sale of synthetic drugs and the need was also to monitor the quality of medicines,
Director of Fortis Hospital Ludhiana Vivaan Gill said that the films also play major role in eulogizing drugs and also unnecessarily pressurizing your child led him or her towards addiction.
Social welfare board chairman Varinder Kaur Thandi said mothers would have to be more vigil and take more responsibility to save their children from drugs.
 Justice S N Aggarwal said that drugs have attained form of national problem for which political pressure free board should be formed that can take strict action against those involved in drugs. SD Education Board president Desh Bandhu said that instead of spending money, parents should spend quality time with children. Starting from primary level itself, the children should be trained against drugs so that many young lives could be saved.
BKU leader Balvir Singh Rajewal said that we could not create a nation wide personality that youngsters could look up to. He said that the politicians would have to make honest efforts against drugs and the government officers would have to be made more accountable.
Retd IPS officer Iqbal Singh said that discipline needs to be reinstated in education and children be taught to keep off peer pressure.
Environmental Dr Amar Singh Azad said that Punjab is being weakened as a part of a conspiracy and hence drugs are being propagated. Food and trade policy analyst Devendra Sharma said that lack of strong government policies had proven to be death knell for many families.      
Prominent among others who participated in the debate included minority commission chairman Rajesh Bagha, information commissioner Surinder Awasthi, Sai University chancellor SK Punj, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ajay Dutta, Somnath from Sewa Bharti, Lachhmi Chand from Patanjali Yog Peeth, psychiatrist Dr Aparajita, RSS Amritsagar and MC Saurabh Joshi.

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