Panaji, The Goa Education Department has asked educational institutions to ensure a 500-metre drug-free zone around their campuses as per a Central recommendation, prompting the Opposition to question whether the government is shirking its responsibility.
The opposition parties claimed the circular is an admission of the state government’s failure to curb the unchecked sale of drugs in the coastal state and demanded the dismantling of “flourishing” drug networks.
Amid allegations that the BJP-led government is trying to shift its responsibility onto school heads, the education department on Friday clarified that headmasters will not take action against drug-related activities.
A senior official said schools will only display awareness boards and report any suspicious activity to the police, who will take necessary action.
The circular issued by Goa Education Director Shailesh Zingde on Thursday stated that the Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, has recommended that all educational institutions shall ensure the implementation of the “500 Meter Drug-Free Zone” around their campuses as part of the nationwide initiative to curb drug abuse amongst students.
The government order directed that heads of government, government-aided, unaided, secondary, higher secondary and special schools take immediate and appropriate action to implement the recommendation.
“The school heads shall ensure that the area within a radius of 500 meters from the school premises is maintained as a drug-free zone,” Zingde added.
Stressing that protecting children from drugs is non-negotiable, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar stated that the circular raises a “much bigger question.”
“Why only 500 metres? If drugs are a threat to our children and to Goa, the Government’s responsibility cannot end at the 500-metre mark outside a school gate. What happens at 501 metres?” he questioned in a post on social media on Thursday.
Chodankar said that Goa does not need selective “drug-free zones, but it should become a drug-free state.
“Instead of shifting responsibility onto school heads, the BJP Government must explain why Goa’s drug network continues to flourish and who is protecting it?” he asked.
When contacted, Zingde said on Friday that the 500-metre drug-free zone circular is similar to the existing 200-metre tobacco-free zone and is implemented nationally.
He clarified that headmasters will not take action against drug-related activities.
“Schools will only display awareness boards and report any suspicious activity to the police, who will take necessary action,” he added. PTI
