THE human chain formed by children of a school (Shri Ram School -- Hindi and English Medium) and Gayatri Parivar to highlight the dangers of addiction of banned substances made one feel happy that young people appear to realise the risks and dangers of wrong habits. From the point of view of scale, the event may be described by some as small (because possibly of numbers). Yet, the fact that school children could be motivated to form a human chain and show solidarity with the cause of fight against addiction of any kind and substance-abuse.

 

In fact, this is a major social requirement -- to put up a stiff fight against any kind of addiction afflicting young people -- may be school children. This should not remain a fight being put up by school children. For, the issue of addiction cannot be kept restricted only to children or the fight, too, cannot be kept restricted to children. For, this issue has larger social ramifications (which unfortunately we as a society do not seem to realise). But when a human chain is being formed by children in favour of an addiction-free society, its importance cannot be underestimated. In fact, addiction to banned substances has become a very serious issue in places like Bhopal -- standing on the borderline of tradition and modernity. Tradition does not allow such places to acquire vices that generally afflict mega cities, and modernity does not allow them to remain mired in old times. However, this clash of ideas also leads to some uncouth fashions become predominant in people’s behaviour -- particularly young people. Substance-abuse is one such idea that has the evil power to destroy young generations in particular and the larger society in general. Hence the need to create a social awareness against substance-abuse.

 

Human chain by school children will certainly contribute to that thought and effort. When an activity is backed by a spiritual orientation -- which the Gayatri Parivar provided in this case -- the possibilities of success also get hiked automatically. Such activities must be promoted in a city like Bhopal -- so that the people get a clear message that addiction is one monster that needs to be fought back and defeated with much effort and focus. It is essential, therefore, that many such activities -- may be involving school and college students as well as parents -- are held in the city on a regular basis -- not just as events but as serious campaigns against drugs and alcohol and tobacco etc. May this become a call to the good sense of the whole society in Bhopal. May this become a regular feature so that a much larger resistance to addiction evolves from social folds. n