PORVORIM: Raising serious
concerns about the growing drug addiction amongst youth, especially students,
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday admitted on the floor of the House
that drugs are being sold outside reputed educational institutes.
“It is a high time that we
should act against sale of drugs. I have heard that such things are going on outside
the educational institutes, it is happening outside some of the most reputed
educational institutes. I would not like to name them but it is a very serious
problem,” Parsekar told the State Legislative Assembly responding to a question
tabled by BJP MLA Carlos Almeida who alleged that the police and drug peddlers
are hand-in-glove in the business.
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“Drugs are sold at small
kiosks or even with some taxi or rickshaw operators outside the educational
institutions. I have already spoken to the police. We need to tackle this
menace. Our youth will be destroyed if this continues,” the Chief Minister
said.
The Chief Minister said he
has weighed the issue with seriousness and has asked police to be strict on the
issue. “I am taking it as an important task for the State of Goa,” he said.
Parsekar, who is also
Minister for Home, said there is need to lay more emphasis on educating the
youth on the ill effects of drug consumption.
He admitted to Almeida that earlier
there had not been a single case of drug peddling reported in Vasco town for
three years. “But when the question was taken for reply by the
department, within three days two cases were registered. I know that
it cannot be a coincidence that during the last three years there was no case
and suddenly two cases are registered in three days,” he said.
Almeida alleged on the floor
of the House that police were hand in glove with those selling narcotics in
Vasco. “Several youth in Vasco are getting addicted to this dangerous drug. It
is being sold openly outside educational institutes. If police are ready, I
will provide the name of the institute and other places where such narcotic is
sold publicly without any fear,” the MLA said.
