Mandatory Dope Test in Schools to Counter Drug Menace - Grewal

Hoshiarpur : 31 January 2015 -
Mandatory Dope Test in Schools to Counter Drug Menace, National BJP Leader from Punjab, Kisan Morcha's National Secretary Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal said that it's well known to each and everybody that addicts mostly being young people, screening at schools and colleges will help. Talking with the media persons in Rayat Bahra College of Education Hoshiarpur in marriage function of Rajya Sabha Member from Punjab Shri Avinash Rai Khanna's daughter after attending marriage function here today Grewal said that It seems that to counter the drug menace in Punjab, a state BJP leader has suggested that drug tests be made mandatory for all students above class 8 and this matter looks set to add fuel to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) row over drugs. Grewal said that, "If they need to have their health check-up including urine and blood tests at time of admission, definitely we will be able to check this problem". On this issue Punjab Government Secondary Education Minister Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said, "It has become a fashion to speak about drugs these days. He said that we have around 55 lakh students in the state, but there is no problem of drugs in any of the schools which I have encountered. On the other side Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shri. Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Technical Education, said it was necessary to check out the viability of the suggestion. I have marked the application to my department to see and prepare a roadmap on how far we can go to implement it. But Government data suggests as many as 67% of rural households have at least one addict. In some areas, the use of heroin among 15-25-year-olds is as high as 75%. Sr. Surjit Singh, Joint Secretary of the Punjab Teacher's Union said that Drugs are definitely a problem in schools. If the government can't test all, at least it should be done randomly. Earlier this month, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal held multiple protest rallies near the border, demanding that the Centre keep greater vigilance to tackle the flow of narcotics into the state from Pakistan. One of the rallies was led by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who even reportedly said neighbouring Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - both BJP- ruled states were cultivating drugs crops.