Itanagar, Sep 4: Continuing with the Say No to Drugs and Itanagar Safai Abhiyan, the District Administration Itanagar Capital Complex in collaboration with Corporator Ward No 10 organised a social service cum drug awareness session at Southern Gate Itafort today.
Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) Mayor Tame Phassang assured to provide necessary support for the development of the historical Itafort. “Itafort holds a great historical value and also serves as one of the tourist destinations in the capital complex. We must protect it and do every possible effort to conserve it,” he said. Phasssang also urged the Corporator and youths to keep vigil to check any anti-social activities.
He also requested all the denizens to join hands in the fight against garbage to make Itanagar as one of the cleanest cities in the country.  IMC alone cannot make it, everyone has to incorporate civic sense to achieve the target, he added.
Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom urged all to move with the Safai Abhiyan in its true sense.
State Nodal Officer Narcotics Control Board, Oli Koyu while throwing light on the programme and policies of the government to control the menace of drug, said that social acceptance of a drug addict is crucial to help a person recover. He also urged all to check illegal cultivation of opium, cannabis etc as a social responsibility and that community mobilisation is the most important tool against drug addiction.
Dr Riken Rina State Nodal Officer De Addiction Cell DHS Naharlagun said that drug addiction can be treated and urged the parents to provide care and support to help  them recover from  the addiction instead of stigmatising and leaving them at their own will.
He also informed that a survey by the Department of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2019 had shown a high percentage of use of various substances like heroine, cannabis, opioids, alcohol, sedatives and other drugs etc. in the State.
Further, the spread of other deadly diseases like Hepatitis, HIV are also on the rise due to sharing of syringes used for the purpose of injecting drugs, Dr Rina said.
He said that with the effort of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and DC Talo Potom, a drug de addiction centre in the Capital Complex will come up soon. As of now, we have NGOs and some good Samaritans voluntarily running de-addiction centre in the Capital Complex.
Altogether, we have 6 drug de addiction centres fully functioning in the State, he informed.
An OST centre (Opioid Substitution Therapy) under NACO( National Aids Control Program) has started at UPHC Itafort.
Corporator Yukar Yaro  urged all to actively participate and to continue with the same zeal and enthusiasm in the coming days too. As Itafort holds historical importance, she stressed on the need to have walls around it for protection and safety and urged both the Mayor and DC to look into the matter. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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