: Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Kripa Alva today expressed grave concernover rising drug abuse in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district andsaid that the area had become a hub of drugs.
Speaking ata review meeting at the DeputyCommissioner's officehere, she saidthe situation atpresent was critical with a large number of youth becomingvictims of substance abuse.
Drugs had become easy accessiblefor youth in petty shops and hotels, she said.
Pointing out that there had been several cases wherein police had seized drugs and arrested drug peddlers, Kripasaid that in a recent instance they had confiscated 51 kgof ganja which was being smuggled from Kerala to DakshinaKannada.
She recalled several incidents where youths were involved in peddling ganja and said it may either be due to peer pressure or influence of Western culture.
"Both smugglingand consumption of drugs is an offence," she said and urgedthe departments concerned to put a check on the menace.
DCP Shantharaju said the Police Department was conducting awareness programmes on drug abuse for collegestudents.
Petty shops close to educationalinstitutions are being raided and public should be vigilantand responsible to curb drug abuse in the city, he added.
The meeting was informedthat so far under NDPSAct, 12 kg of Ganja was seized in 2014, 16 kg in 2015 and 84Kg in 2016, while 21 cases were registered in 2014, 49 cases in 2015 and 121 cases in 2016.
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