Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi said, “parents flag rampant drug abuse and yet law enforcement agencies are not aware of it. This is very serious we must not be in a denial mode. Are the drugs coming from outside or are they being made here”.
Launching a National Awareness campaign on drug abuse and illicit trafficking at Raj Bhavan on June 25 said,“ a large number of parents had requested me to raise the issue of drug abuse in high schools and colleges. They have requested me to do something as the issue was rampant. Unfortunately, we have been in denial mode. We have been saying that there is no drug here. Whenever I made inquiries, I was told that there was no menace of synthetic or semi synthetic drugs in Tamil Nadu”.
Referring to the newspaper reports during the past six months, the Governor said, “ the recovery of large quantities of synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs from different parts of the state by enforcement agencies only confirms the fear of widespread drug abuse in our state. Investigation done by NIA, investigated various international drug cartel are operational. Ignoring this grave threat will further complex the problems , unless the supply side is stopped. They have (NIA) found that there are international drug cartels with nodes in Tamil Nadu, Karachi, Pakistan and even Dubai, operating and getting heroin from Afghanistan . This is being done . it is a very serious issue. They also found AK 47s and drugs on board ships off the Kerala coast. We must not keep our eyes closed. It menace has to be tackled head on”.
The Governor said, “if one denies a problem which would get even more complicated. If an advanced state like ours does not address this problem then I think we are not being fair to our people and the future is very insecure. Whenever deaths over illicit liquor are reported, there is a hue and cry and more than lakh of litres of illicit arrack is seized. But, things soon go back to the way they were. This is not acceptable. Is there connivance? Because, the denial can’t be without a purpose. We can’t play with the lives of our people”.
Governor Ravi said, “in this game there are two sides- demand and supply. If supply is not restricted or stopped, there will be demand. If you have drugs, there will be people who buy it. The supply side has to be controlled by the enforcement. If we do not address the supply side of the problem, people will keep dying”.
In his speech, Governor Ravi mentioned the tragic deaths of 60 people caused by the consumption of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi and the deaths of 22 people caused by illicit liquor in Chengalpattu and Villupuram last year. Many voices were raised in the wake of the incident, but things quickly returned to normal. This is completely unacceptable”. He sought to know the details of those arrested in connection with illicit liquor. He said, “There have been ‘zero seizures’ of drugs, which is highly worrisome. On this front, we have to be one. There should not be any politics, there should not be any controversy, and there should not be any kind of difference. We have to fight the drug and illicit alcohol issue together”.
He highlighted both the demand and supply sides of narcotic drugs and illicit alcohol, underscoring the crucial role of civil society in combating this menace. Governor Ravi appreciated the efforts of the IRDRP Trust, MAEGA Trust, and Civil Society in spreading awareness and encouraged them to do more. He said in this war against the drug and illicit alcohol, along with the awareness towards the demand side the civil societies are generating, there must be disruption in the supply side.
Governor Ravi has expressed concern over the lack of adequate enforcement to disrupt the supply chain of drugs and illicit liquor. He said the drug mafia targets the youth. The drug spoils our future. Look at Punjab now. During the last 20 years, the drug culture has ruined the people. Once, they were known for agricultural production and were the prospective ones. Now, it is a complete u-turn.
