Last Updated:
Mumbai launches Mumbai Against Drugs campaign from May 1 after Goregaon overdose deaths, a 12 member panel will drive citywide youth focused awareness and enforcement.
A high-level meeting chaired by Suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha was held at the district collector’s office in Bandra. (News18)
In the wake of a shocking drug-related tragedy in Goregaon, Mumbai is set to roll out an ambitious, year-long anti-drug campaign aimed at protecting its youth and building widespread awareness.
The initiative, titled ‘Mumbai Against Drugs’will be launched on May 1—coinciding with Maharashtra Day—and will continue until May 1, 2027. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Suburban Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha at the district collector’s office in Bandra.
The move comes days after two students reportedly died due to drug overdose during a music concert at the Nesco Centre in Goregaon, an incident that has sent shockwaves across the city and reignited concerns over rising substance abuse among the youth.
Speaking after the meeting, Lodha said the tragedy has exposed the growing grip of drugs on young people and highlighted the urgent need for preventive measures. He noted that while law enforcement agencies, particularly the Mumbai Police, have intensified their crackdown—leading to arrests of organisers and suspected peddlers—long-term change will require sustained public awareness and community participation.
The campaign, to be rolled out initially in Mumbai’s suburban district, will eventually be expanded citywide under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. A detailed roadmap of activities is expected to be finalised in the coming days.
A 12-member committee will be constituted to drive the initiative, bringing together representatives from NGOs working in de-addiction, municipal ward officials, police officers, psychiatrists, and education department officials. Public representatives including MPs, MLAs, and corporators will be invited as special members.
Mumbai BJP president and MLA Amit Satam stressed the importance of reaching young people through platforms they engage with most—especially social media. He underlined that awareness efforts must extend to schools, colleges, malls, and public spaces where youth congregate.
Officials also acknowledged that enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. Over the past 16 months, Mumbai Police have seized drugs worth crores, yet the demand persists. “This must become a people’s movement,” Lodha said, calling for collective action against anti-social elements.
District Collector Saurabh Katiyar assured that the administration will implement the decisions rigorously, signalling a coordinated push to tackle one of the city’s most pressing social challenges.
April 20, 2026, 10:01 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
