The BIGGEST Drug-Free Mangaluru Walkathon 2023 in the History of Mangaluru was organised by Mangaluru City Police under the leadership of Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal on Wednesday, 1 November 2023 which started from Town Hall at 5 pm
Mangaluru: The City of Mangaluru has never seen One of the BIGGEST WALKATHON until today when over 6000 students from nearly 120 education institutions in and around Mangaluru took part with enthusiasm and interest for a Good Cause, aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of drug addiction and to encourage students and other youth and adults to abstain from drug abuse. The event was the initiative and with great enthusiasm by Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, with assistance from DCP (Law & Order) Siddharth Goyal, DCP (Traffic & Crime) Dinesh Kumar; ACP Mahesh Kumar; ACP-Traffic Ms Geetha Kulkarni and other top police officials to fight against the drug menace with the theme “LET’S WALK TOGETHER for Drug-Free Future” towards a step for a good Cause.
The walkathon route was from Town Hall-Hampankatta-K S Rao Road-PVS Junction-Lalbagh-Lady Hill Circle -Mangala Stadium and was flagged off by DK District Minister In Charge Dinesh Gundu Rao, joined by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel; MLA Vedavyas Kamath; Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal; DCPs Dinesh Kuamr, Siddharth Goyal; ACPs Mahesh Kumar, Upase and Ms Geetah Kulkarni; DC Mullai Muhilan, among others. Speaking on the occasion, minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “During my college days, many were slaves to it. Few succumbed to it, and others overcame the addiction. Everybody tries drugs due to peer pressure. Even if anyone asks to try it at least once, they say a big no. Trying drugs is a no-no. Support systems to stop drug abuse must come from the student community”
“Inform and educate those who are into drugs. You are not betraying your friend by informing the authorities about their habit but by helping them. Drug abuse leads to health issues, and it curtails development as an individual. Drugs dominate and reduce one’s capacity. In total, an individual becomes a liability and not an asset. It shatters dreams and changes the course of life. The police department under police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal and his energetic team are conducting the drive to stop the menace, and doing their best. The government has decided to stop hookah bars across the state. Experts say that 30–40 minutes of hookah vaping is equal to smoking almost 20 cigarettes and has health hazards. Therefore, the government is going ahead with the ban” added Minister Rao.
The student population of Mangaluru is estimated to be more than fifty thousand in number, and they come from all over India. Anxious parents across India and abroad read with disbelief that students of medicine and practitioners of medicine had degenerated into becoming drug peddlers. The question uppermost in the minds of everybody now is how many more are entrapped in the drug quagmire? Many social organizations, police departments and other like-minded people are putting in lots of effort in curbing drug activities in Mangaluru, including the police.
Apart from youth, drug dependency can be seen in all occupations, educational levels, and socioeconomic classes, and it is the most prevalent of psychiatric disorders worldwide. It is one of the four crises of the 21st century that threatens public health, political and economic stability and social structures of many countries. The City police are doing their best to curb the drug menace in the City, but they alone can’t eradicate the menace, so they also need the support of the public in fighting this drug menace by notifying them if the general public sees any drug activities or drug consuming going on, so they can get into action quick and apprehend the culprits. Together, the police and public can make a difference in making the education Hub-Mangaluru a DRUG-FREE CITY!
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Dr Rohan Monis, Chief Administrative Officer Kanachur Hospital and Research Centre, Deralakatte, Mangaluru speaking of the ill effects of drugs said, ” We are all living at a point in time where… People are more depressed, more angry, more suicidal, more anxious and more addicted than they were 30 years ago – and one of the main reasons is because of the relentless pursuit of pleasure. That’s brain functions – It’s reward-based learning. The focus is more on the reward and not on the BEHAVIOUR. We are in a world now where FEELING GOOD has become confused with the Highest Good. We live in a culture and society where people feel increasingly vulnerable to all sorts of addictions – whether to their supercomputers/shopping/eating/habits”.
He further said “We Live in an era where we feel CONNECTED because of our smartphones, Digital presence, social media promotions, reality TV and we are on FB, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Youtube and whatnot. So in our lives – Our floor space has been increasing in our homes but they are empty and we have traded stuff for connections – and despite all the virtual connections we are one of the loneliest societies there has ever been. Our Social Cage is EMPTY. Addicts are also called – Pill Poppers – Boozers – Junkies – hop heads – freaks – dopesters – sniffers So, in reality, why these awareness campaigns and talks and skits – Because our youth are battling the beast – that’s DRUG addiction. What we fail to realise is that drugs or alcohol is what they think is the only way to cope with the anxiety when he/she leaves home”.
“Coping with drugs has taught them that – the more they are doing drugs; the more they get to experience this rare feeling of virtually no anxiety and inhibitions low enough that they can be in a social setting. They are so bad at creating connections – that they are willing to risk a blackout just to be there. On a closing note – addiction isn’t about individual recovery – it’s about Social Recovery. We are all rats in that isolated cage and not like the rats in the rat park. OUR RESPONSE: It’s Everyone’s Job to make the upbringing of the next generation – A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. As Johann Hari Says – THE OPPOSITE OF ADDICTION IS NOT SOBRIETY – THE OPPOSITE OF ADDICTION IS CONNECTION,” added Dr Monis.
Prizes were distributed to winners in the Poster-Making contest and the Reels Creating contest. The welcome address was delivered by police commissioner Anupam Agarwal and the programme was meticulously compered by Sahil Zaheer.
KMC Hospital Mangalore was the Official Medical partner for this Drug Awareness walkathon.
