A special social justice bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Uday Umesh Lalit issued notice to the Centre on the PIL filed by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan which sought an action plan for children to eliminate drugs, alcohol and other psychotropic substance abuse.
The PIL also sought to create specialised systems and practices to enable and promote rehabilitation among children.
During the hearing, senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the NGO, told the court that a survey has revealed that about two crore children are using these drugs, tobacco and other narcotic products which is "very alarming".