District Administration Bandipora today launched “Maa se Guftagu”, a weekly community outreach initiative under the 100-Day Mission Mode Campaign under the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan, with its first edition held at Arin. The programme, to be conducted across ICDS blocks throughout the campaign period at the rate of one event per week, places mothers and women at the heart of the fight against drug abuse.
The inaugural edition witnessed significant participation from women, students, ASHA workers, and field functionaries despite inclement weather. The event was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, who appreciated the enthusiasm of participants and lauded the “spirit of motherhood in the fight against drugs.”
True to the spirit of the initiative, women participants took centre stage, holding placards bearing emotionally resonant slogans such as “Mamata ki taqat, nashe ki shikast”, “Maa ka pyaar, nasha ka inkaar”, and “Maa ki dua, nashe ki dawa”, reinforcing the role of mothers as the first and most powerful line of defence against drug abuse.
An ASHA worker present at the programme spoke about the responsibilities of motherhood, urging parents to closely observe their children’s behaviour and not dismiss early signs of change as insignificant. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner noted that while addiction is widely visible, communities often look away instead of intervening.
“An addict is not a criminal, they are a person in need of care and support. The real criminal is the one who knows and still chooses silence,” she said. The DC also highlighted a social paradox, that while families celebrate the birth of a child, they sometimes fail to maintain adequate engagement during adolescence, leaving children vulnerable to negative influences.
In a direct gesture of accessibility, the DC shared her personal contact number with the audience, urging participants to reach out for assistance or to report information related to drug networks. “Collective effort is the need of the hour. Together, we must support recovery and prevent addiction,” she affirmed.
The DC further observed that women are affected by the drug menace both as victims and, in some instances, as participants in illicit activities, and called upon them to channel their strength towards eradicating the problem. PO ICDS Bandipora, Yaar Ali Khan, emphasised that parental experience, vigilance, and early intervention are as critical as formal education in safeguarding children.
He urged families to foster trust with their children and remain alert to early warning signs. A student, Madiha, described the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan as a shared vision requiring collective commitment, and pointed out that cigarette smoking often serves as an entry point to substance abuse.
The “Maa se Guftagu” series will continue on a weekly basis across ICDS blocks in Bandipora district as part of the sustained community mobilisation drive under the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan.