Hearing-impaired students lead anti-drug March in Jammu

Jammu, May 26: In a unique and powerful demonstration, over 100 hearing-impaired Divyangjan students and their parents took to the streets of Jammu on Tuesday to support Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan.

The awareness march, as per a statement, was jointly organised by the Central Govt Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Jammu (CGPWA) and the Jammu & Kashmir Samaj Kalyan Kendra (SKK), which runs the School for Hearing Handicapped.

Two former DGPs, Kuldeep Khoda, Dr Ashok Bhan, former DG DRDO Dr Sudarshan Kumar, President SKK K B Jandial, Vice President Brig (Retd) Dr Rakesh Khajuria, General Secretary J K Vaid, Former IGPs Prem Gupta & Nisar Ahmad, former Chairman Pollution Control Board, Dr C M Seth, former Executive Director, NTPC, Vinod Padha, Advocate Rameshwar Singh Jamwal ,]  Treasurer of CGPWA O P Sharma walked alongside the children to amplify their message.

Supporting colourful Angvastras and badges, primary and senior students carried placards with striking messages like “Nashey ko mitana hai, desh ko bachana hai” and “Jeevan Anmol hai, isko nashey main na jhonko. Through these banners, the Divyangjan, who were deaf and dumb, appealed to the people of Jammu to desist from taking drugs warning of destruction of the career of the youth and lives of their families.

Earlier, the Principal of the School administered pledge to work for removal of drugs from the society.

Later, speaking on the occasion, Kuldeep Khoda said that the anti- drug march conducted by the Divyangjan today conveyed a strong message to the society that drugs would destroy the families and the country and of people.

By taking out a march against drugs, the Divyangjan have taken a lead in the society to cleanse it from the curse of drugs. Their silent message written on their placards have greater impact on the youth than anyone else words. Describing them as highly talented youth which are demonstrating in the BOSE examination every year, he asked them to keep guard against those who are destroying the careers and dreams of youth by trapping them in use of narcotic substances. He said that CGPWA has taken upon it to hold such awareness camps in order to save the youth from this devastating menace.