Excelsior Correspondent
PULWAMA, Mar 30: Chief Justice, High Court of J&K and Ladakh (Patron-in-Chief, J&K LSA) in the presence of Justice Tashi Rabstan, Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority presided over an Awareness Programme organized by District Legal Service Authority Pulwama under the aegis of J&K Legal Services Authority in collaboration with Social Welfare and Health Departments at Govt. Degree College (Boys), Pulwama.
The awareness programme was organized by DLSA Pulwama under the aegis of J&K Legal Services Authority on Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse – Prevention and Challenges.
Principal District & Sessions Judge, Naseer Ahmed Dar, Chairman DLSA Pulwama welcomed the dignitaries and the Chief Justice for conceiving a programme on such an important social evil, which is effecting the youth of this Country.
Justice Tashi Rabstan, Executive Chairman in his address delineated the main purpose of organizing this awareness programme which is to disseminate information regarding the pros and cons of use of drugs that has become a great threat to our society as every second person is consuming drugs due to one or the other reason, knowing fully its ill effects on the health of an individual.
Referring to a question raised in the parliament, Justice Tashi informed the gathering that about 10 lakh cases of drug abuse have been identified in UT of J&K with a substantial number of women addicts. In his address, he has highlighted the seriousness of the problem and urged all the stakeholders to work collectively to eradicate this menace from the society.
During his key note address, Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh lauded the role of District Legal Service Authority and J&K Legal Services Authority in organizing such kind of awareness programmes which is the need of hour to educate the youth that has fallen prey to the menace of drug abuse.
The Chief Justice impressed upon the audience to follow the golden rule of Prevention, Better than Cure.
The highlight of the programme was that the two expert speakers namely Dr. Majid, a renowned Psychiatrist and Pallavi Singh, Director, J&K Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses delivered their respective addresses in Urdu as well as Kashmiri language so that the message of this awareness programme reaches to the general masses.
After the programme the students of the Govt. Degree College (Boys), Pulwama requested the Chief Justice for opening of a Legal Literacy Club and considering their demand the Chief Justice issued on spot instructions to Member Secretary, J&K LSA to ensure that the same is established as early as possible.
The Chief Justice also inaugurated a Legal Aid Clinic at Panchayat Ghar Nikas, Pulwama in presence of Executive Chairman, J&K LSA.
During the programme Y P Bourney, Registrar Vigilance, M. K. Sharma Principal Secretary to the Chief Justice, Amit Kumar Gupta, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Service Authority, Anoop Kumar Sharma, Registrar I.T, Mansoor Ahmad Lone, CJM Pulwama, Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Mohamamd Yousaf Choudhary, SSP Pulwama, Adv. G.M Dar, President Bar Association, Pulwama, Rayaz Ahmed Choudhary, Secretary DLSA Pulwama, Principal Government Degree College Pulwama and other officers of District Pulwama were also present on this occasion.