By: ML Verma
Shimla: In what appears to be an attempt to lay complete responsibility for addiction among students on their parents, the state education department has planned to start a new move by taking undertaking from parents before giving admission in some select schools of Shimla.
According to director, elementary education department of Himachal Pradesh, Rajiv Sharma, as part of a sensitisation programme they would select 15 schools in the town where undertakings would be taken from the parents in the form of an affidavit whether their ward has been into drugs and smoking or not. He said it would discourage the habit of drug addiction and smoking among teenagers.
According to a recent joint survey conducted by Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla and Youth Enlightenment Society (YES), 40 per cent of teenagers and students in Shimla have either become victims of drug addiction or are on the verge. “Under the new legislation of the Right to compulsory elementary education, a student cannot be denied admission, but this move would certainly help in spreading awareness,” he said.
The state government has already announced to impose ban on selling of tobacco products near schools.
