Cyberabad Police makes anti-drug committees mandatory in educational institutions

Cyberabad Police has made it mandatory for educational institutions to constitute Anti-Drug Committees to prevent substance abuse among students, promote awareness, encourage confidential reporting and strengthen coordination between campuses, parents and law enforcement agencies.

Hyderabad: In a major step to strengthen the fight against drug abuse among students, Cyberabad Police Commissioner M Ramesh, has directed all schools, colleges and other educational institutions under the Cyberabad Commissionerate to constitute Anti-Drug Committees on their campuses.

The move is aimed at creating a coordinated mechanism to prevent drug abuse, identify vulnerable students at an early stage and promote a drug-free educational environment. The Commissioner has issued a notification as part of Cyberabad Police’s efforts to curb the growing menace of narcotics among youth through prevention, awareness and community participation.

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According to it, every institution must establish an Anti-Drug Committee comprising representatives from the institution’s management, faculty, students, parents or guardians and the local police.

“The committee will be responsible for planning and implementing anti-drug awareness programmes, monitoring the campus for signs of substance abuse, counselling students wherever required and coordinating with law enforcement agencies in case of any suspected drug-related activity,” the Commissioner said.

The guidelines also require institutions to conduct regular awareness campaigns with the support of police officers, medical professionals, counsellors and subject experts to educate students about the physical, psychological, social and legal consequences of drug abuse.

Educational institutions have also been instructed to sensitise parents and teaching staff to recognise behavioural changes that may indicate substance abuse among students.

To encourage timely reporting, institutions have been asked to establish confidential or anonymous reporting mechanisms that enable students to share information about drug-related activities without fear of retaliation.

The Commissioner further directed institutions to prominently display the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) helpline number 1908 and the emergency response number 112 at visible locations across their campuses. Institutions were also instructed to closely monitor hostels and campus surroundings, and immediately report any suspected drug related offences to the local police.

Heads of educational institutions will be responsible for ensuring strict implementation of the guidelines.