*‘NOT JUST THE COASTAL BELT, DRUGS HAVE REACHED GOA’S INTERIOR HEARTLAND’*
*Following Governor Mridula Sinha’s speech regarding Goa’s drug problem on this Republic Day, we find out how deep-rooted this issue is and the efforts being made to sove it* *flexcia.dso...@timesgroup.com <flexcia.dso...@timesgroup.com>* *https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIGO%2F2018%2F01%2F30&entity=Ar01507&sk=B7A3DA71&mode=text <https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIGO%2F2018%2F01%2F30&entity=Ar01507&sk=B7A3DA71&mode=text>* *In* her Republic Day address, Governor Mridula Sinha admitted that Goa is plagued with the social evils of drug trade and sex tourism. Before this, last month,while addressing the state legislative assembly, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar too had admitted that the sale of narcotic drugs in the state have more than doubled in Goa last year, and announced that 2018 would be observed as an ‘anti-drug’ year. >From frequent police raids, to spreading awareness through talks, films and other mediums – a lot is being said and done now, to curb the illicit trafficking of drugs as well as to prevent drug abuse in the state . But is it enough? *‘NOT JUST THE COASTAL BELT, DRUGS HAVE REACHED THE INTERIOR HEARTLAND’* “Drugs have caused irreparable damage to the social and demographical development of Goa. The drug problem in Goa is extremely serious. Drugs are as easily available here,as mint and chocolates in Goa,” says Peter F Borges, founder of an NGO which works in the sector of drug abuse among other things. *‘Educational institutions should make drug education a part of their curriculum*’ Peter states that the problem which was earlier confined to the coastal belt is now eating into the very vials of Goan society and is doing much more damage than even alcohol. “There is clear evidence and writing on the wall that drugs have reached the interior heartland and there is no reason to believe that Valpoi and Satarri are unaffected by this, or for that matter, Ponda, Sanguem and Quepem. This is a huge, dangerous shift in the drug consumption and distribution trend, where drugs move into non-coastal villages and affect the local children and youth,” says Peter. Additionally, Peter says, there is a rise in the number of youth who throng to the coastal belt to buy drugs. “The other aspect of this trend is that the local youth from interior villages are moving to the coast to purchase these drugs and then moving back to their safe villages to consume them.The most important concern is the easy availability – even on campuses of engineering institutes, colleges and schools – which is now being acknowledged and discussed openly. Another equally alarming cause for concern is rapid globalisation, which is turning the youth towards alcohol and drugs to cope with financial and emotional stresses,” says Peter. “The drug scene is very prevalent in Goa. Though many believe that it’s only in the northern coastal belt of Goa, drugs are available everywhere. We just had a meeting recently, where we found out that many young people are getting hooked on to drugs, even in places like Ponda, which are less likely to be under the scanner. There is no proper control or system of monitoring drug trading. The guy who is taking drugs isn’t bothered about where it is coming from. However, it’s coming through only illegal means,” says an official from an NGO working in the field of drug de-addiction, on the condition of anonymity. *‘THE PROBLEM IS VERY REAL AND EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY’* “To solve the problem, we need to have more outreach programmes and awareness drives. Secondly, all the departments of the government need to get involved. All the stakeholders should take responsibility. In Goa, what happens is that when one guy says something, the other guy either defends him or opposes him. We are not on the same plane. Until we get all the stakeholders on the same plane, we can’t tackle this,” says the NGO official. “I believe that drug addiction is not a medical issue but it is a societal one. The solution lies in a three-pronged strategy: supply control, demand reduction and harm reduction. The law enforcement agencies have a big responsibility to make a concerted effort in curbing supply, and need to play an active role in tackling the menace of easy availability of drugs,” says Peter. “Fighting drug abuse in the state is a shared responsibility of all political parties. No amount of denial or ignorance is going to help us find a political – or any other – solution to the problem, unless there is any will to fight against it. The problem is very much real and everyone has a role to play. When politics gets so deep rooted into a people’s issue, you can expect nothing great; at least in the near future. Perhaps more political and social awareness amongst people as voters is the way forward,” says Peter. *EMPOWERING YOUTH AND FACILITATING REHABILITATION* “Even more crucial is empowering young people with the necessary skills to resist addiction. Educational institutions should make drug education a part of their curriculum, and recruit and train certified counsellors as part of their staff to help students deal with educational stress and problems like low self-esteem, lack of confidence, etc. Parents should be able to detect early signs of depression and erratic behaviour in their children. Furthermore, awareness programs in housing societies and large complexes should also help in playing watchdogs to potential troublemakers,” says Peter. “There is also a need to be sensitive towards addicts. Society, at large, needs to recognise that addiction is a disease, just like cancer. Stigmatising an individual only makes the matter worse. Instead, addicts need the society’s support and empathy. What they need the most is investment by the government in both, primary prevention and rehabilitation. A good infrastructure of certified rehabilitation centres, where manpower is clinically trained to look after addicts will immensely contribute towards the ecosystem of mental health recovery programmes. A professionally run set-up will plug an important gap in the welfare and rehabilitation of addicts back into the society, by allowing them to also earn a livelihood,” says Peter. *‘THE DRUG PROBLEM ISN’T LIMITED TO GOA ALONE’* Film director Shahnawaz Nk, whose film *Candyflipis* based on the subject says,“I think the drug problem our country is facing right now is not limited to Goa anymore.It’s everywhere,across the country. Goa has been highlighted because it gives people the space to consume those drugs and be free from law. The real problem is that before, only tourists would experiment with drugs here, but now the local kids are getting attracted to it.” “My film *Candyflip* was made for various reasons, some of it was surely inspired by the lost souls you can find standing aimlessly next to a speaker in one of those psy parties. In fact my main inspiration – Sunny, from Palolem – died few months ago. I got the news exactly as I was on the way to the IFFI screening of my film. While researching for my film,I found so much that I can make movies after movies. All I can say is, what happens out there is really crazy,”he says. “We need more awareness about the drug menace in Goa, and the Goan police needs to keep themselves updated as there are various kind of drugs entering the market every other day. I think the government is doing its best so far. It’s a long process to eradicate the drug flow, and good planning is the key. The Goan police is also doing an excellent job. I think Goa Tourism needs a revamp, new communication has to go out there and attract genuine tourists to the state,” he says. *MY FILM WAS MADE FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SOME OF IT WAS SURELY INSPIRED BY THE LOST SOULS YOU CAN FIND STANDING AIMLESSLY NEXT TO A SPEAKER AT ONE OF THOSE PSY PARTIES. IN FACT, MY MAIN INSPIRATION – SUNNY, FROM PALOLEM – DIED FEW MONTHS AGO. I GOT THE NEWS EXACTLY AS I WAS ON THE WAY TO THE IFFI SCREENING OF MY FILM.* – Shahnawaz Nk, director, Candyflip Peter F. Borges Founder/CEO Human Touch Foundation peter.bor...@humantouch.ngo www.humantouch.ngo Iris C F Gomes Editor of Prutha (www.pruthagoa.com) We are supported by Volunteering Goa Limited <http://www.volunteering-goa.com/> and the Xavier Centre of Historical Research <http://www.xchr.in/> Find us on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/pruthagoa?fref=ts> Google+ <https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PruthaGoa/posts> Twitter <https://twitter.com/Pruthagoa?lang=en> LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/prutha-goa?trk=biz-companies-cym> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>