Drug-Free Ladakh drive begins at EJM College, Schools across Seven Districts to be covered

LEH: A 90-day campaign to combat substance abuse among young people was launched at Eliezer Joldan Memorial (EJM) College in Leh on Wednesday, with the organisers planning awareness programmes across schools and educational institutions in all seven districts of Ladakh over the next three months.

The campaign has been initiated by Vidhyarthi Ceva Educational Trust in collaboration with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Ladakh, and the M3M Foundation, Gurugram, with a focus on raising awareness about drug abuse and encouraging young people to participate in efforts to prevent addiction.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, IAS, as the chief guest, and Prof Nagesh Thakur, Professor of Physics at Himachal Pradesh University and former national president of ABVP, as the guest of honour. EJM College Principal Prof Stanzin Yangdol was also present, alongside faculty members, students and other dignitaries.

Addressing the gathering, Prof Thakur stressed the need to tackle drug abuse to build a healthier society. Drawing on his background in physics, he used scientific analogies to explain how social factors influence behaviour and urged young people to channel their energy towards constructive activities and positive social goals.

Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra commended Vidhyarthi Ceva Educational Trust and the M3M Foundation for initiating the campaign, underlining the importance of community participation and early intervention in protecting young people from addiction.

He also assured support for future initiatives aimed at addressing drug abuse in Ladakh and urged students to encourage their peers to participate in awareness efforts.

According to the organisers, the campaign will include workshops, interactive sessions and awareness drives across educational institutions in all seven districts over the next three months. The initiative aims to engage students and strengthen awareness of substance abuse prevention across the region.