DW BUREAU / MOHALI An awareness drive on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was organized today by Punjab Police, Patiala and Aryans Group of Colleges, Rajpura, near here, at Aryans Campus. DSP Rajpura Gurvinder Singh was the Chief Guest on the session. Dr Anshu Kataria, Chairman, Aryans Group presided over the event. The event was organized as per directions issued by Dinkar Gupta, DGP, Punjab and Dr Sandeep Garg, SSP, Patiala and keeping in view all the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the government. The event was attended by Gurpreet Singh, SHO, Sadar, Rajpura, Gurpartap Singh, SHO, City, Rajpura, Balvinder Singh, SHO, Banur, Pushpa, Inspector, Traffic Police, Parminder Kaur, Project Director, Saket Hospital, Amrit Pal, Counselor, Saket Hospital. Prof BS Sidhu, Director, Aryans Group, Dr JK Saini, Director, Aryans College of Engineering, Dr Garima Thakur, Deputy Director, Aryans Group, Manpreet Mann, Dean, Scholarship Department etc. were also present. Gurvinder Singh addressed on various aspects including depression, peer pressure, unintentional dependency of medicines, lack of self-control etc and motivated them to spread awareness at their respective places. He said that Drug addiction is a serious problem among youngsters and controlling it is a major challenge. For any such effort to succeed, it is necessary to channelize the creative energy of the youngsters against the menace, he added. Dr Kataria highlighted several causes that are observed in the young generations who go towards drug addiction. He added that the drug demand reduction programmes should emphasize on not stigmatizing addicts, but rather trying to educate people, particularly school and college students. The students should take a pledge not to be diverted by any wrong company and to always uphold the esteem of their faith and their family, stressed Kataria. It is to be mentioned that the day is celebrated internationally on June 26 and the theme for this year is "Share Facts on Drugs, Save Lives". As per the reports about 850,000 Indians inject drugs, 1.3 percent of children between 10 and 17 years reported to consume alcohol. (editor@dailyworld.in)