Kerala HC directs state govt to set up campus police units to check drug abuse among youth

Observing that the scale of druguse in the state is unacceptably high, the Kerala High Courthas directed the state government to establish campus policeunits to check the abuse among teenagers and youth.

A Division bench of the high court, comprising ChiefJustice S Manikumar and Justice A M Shaffique, said drug usageis a significant driver of economic under performance, crime,risk to children and health inequalities.

Issuing a slew of directions to control drug abuseamong youngsters and students in educational institutions, thecourt directed the state government to adopt a method ofestablishing campus police units, since the Law Enforcementagencies are not conducting regular checking inside theeducational institutions.

''Measures shall also be taken to make it easier forthe police and excise personnel to enforce NDPS Act, 1985, inthe educational institutions,'' it said.

The court gave this direction on Wednesday whiledisposing of a petition registered on its own on the basis ofa representation on March 15, 2019, submitted by NRamachandran, IPS (Retd), former district police chief,Kottayam, to a judge of the court highlighting various aspectsof drug abuse in Kerala.

The court directed the state government to convene ameeting of all key officials from the Department of HomeAffairs, Excise, Health, Law, Education and representative ofState Mental Health authority, Department of Social Justice,and chalk out programmes, to ensure reduction in the incidenceof substance abuse among teenagers and the youth and for theimplementation of the suggestions made by it.

''The Universities/Colleges/School authorities shall beprovided with guidelines as a charter of duties andresponsibilities, to make the campuses of the educationalinstitutions, drug free,'' the court said.

It also directed the state police chief to seek theservices of student police cadets, NCC, NSS and other similarorganisations to tide over the situation that the students areunaware of the legal repercussions of the usage andtrafficking of drugs, and the health and career hazards causeddue to the use of drugs.

The state police chief was also directed to introducea special scheme to ensure that the premises of theeducational institutions and Universities are drug free.

''The 3rd respondent (state police chief) shallinitiate steps to conduct anti-drug programmes in theinstitutions, propagate health awareness campaigns, and usethe assistance of social media.'' ''The 3rd respondent is further directed to establishcounselling and rehabilitation mechanisms, to save thestudents who are already using drugs and addicts, and for thatpurpose, co-operation of University authorities, affectedstudents, and their parents be elicited,'' the court said.

The court said the directions issued be complied withstrictly, in letter and spirit, in accordance with law, withina period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy ofthe judgment.

''Failure to implement the directions, by authoritiesconcerned, would only affect many,'' it added.