Bhubaneswar/ Puri: Internationally-acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Tuesday created a sand sculpture on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse.
Giving an awareness message on social media, he tweeted, “#WorldDrugDay, International Day Against #DrugAbuse and Illicit Trafficking #drugabuse. One of my SandArt with message #NoDrugs.”
Defying an early morning shower, hundreds of participants also took part in a rally to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking from BMC Office to Master Canteen Square.
Students of various educational institutions, Biju Yuva Bahini members, BMC office employees, Excise Department personnel and Commissionerate Police officers took part in the rally.
Inaugurating the rally, Finance and Excise Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera said, “Drug abuse has become a major social menace across the world and we should adopt extra care for our young generation so that they should keep away from harmful substances and addiction from drugs.”
Women and Child Development, MSME and SSEPD Minister Prafulla Samal requested the youth to adopt better lifestyle practices so that they are away from drugs always.
Odia Language, Literature, Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said, “The youth and young children often start bad practices in life due to wrong company. However, we have to manage them with patience and make them realise the ill-effects of drug abuse.”
Actor and Odisha Film Development Corporation Chairman Satyabrata Tripathy said, “By a resolution 42/112 of December 7, 1987, the UN General Assembly decided to observe June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.”
Supported each year by individuals, communities and various organisations all over the world, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society, he added.
Talking about the theme of this year’s event ‘Listen First’ Tripathy, said ‘Listen First-Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’. It is an initiative to increase support for the prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an effective investment in the well-being of children and youth. Their families and their communities should be the focus.
MLA Bhubaneswar (North) Priyadarshi Mishra hoped that the youth would remain informed about the bad effects of drugs through a series of campaigns.
BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena requested all young participants to inspire their friends not to try drugs as a bad start could lead to a life-long addiction.
Actress Arpita Kar said, “Bad and good things are part of our lives, but with better understanding and exposure we tend to adopt good things, which ultimately help the society at large.”
Attending as guest, Excise Department Principal Secretary Nikunja Bihari Dhal said the youth and young citizens should be exposed to more and more awareness activities so that they can gauge for themselves the ill-effects of taking banned substances thus saving the society.
Notably, the UN General Assembly held a Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in April 2016. This Special Session marked an important milestone in achieving the goals set in the policy document of 2009 as “Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem”, which defined action to be taken by member states as well as goals to be achieved by 2019.
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