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Imphal — With active participation of reporters, news desk editors, editors and representatives of NGOs, a one-day media awareness workshop on 'Media focus on demand reduction of drugs' was held in Imphal on Saturday.
The workshop was jointly organised by Editors Guild Manipur and Department of Social Welfare. Manipur's Social Welfare minister Heikham Dingo Singh, Director of Social Welfare, Ng Uttam Singh and President of Editors Guild Manipur, Khomdram Khogendra were present during the inaugural function of the workshop.
Speaking on the occasion, Dingo said the government policies and programmes on demand reduction (of contraband/narcotic drugs) will not achieve the expected goals - only with government, department or media alone -- unless there is active involvement of the public.
‘So we need public support’, the minister said.
In his speech, Director of Social Welfare department, Ng Uttam informed the gathering that media becomes a point of contact for the general public in terms of raising their concerned problems and issues.
"So we need to organise some awareness programmes on the existing programs and schemes of the Social Welfare department through media in an effort to educate the public," he said
"For this we're thinking of organising the media sensitization programs on it within a shortest possible time."
On the other hand, EGM president Khogendra Khomdram expressed serious concern over the regular report of seizing narcotic drugs not only across the state of Manipur but also in other areas outside the state.
Later in the technical session, Dr. RK Lenin, head of Psychiatry department, Regional Institute of medical sciences delivered a talk on 'Empowering youths to say boo to drugs' while Ng Uttam highlighted the present initiative taken up by the department on drug-related issues by establishing some centres across the state.
He also informed about the state action plan for drug demands and the reduction.
Secretary of Social Awareness Service Organisation RK Tiken also spoke on 'Role of NGOs in demand reduction'. Later an interaction session was also held with senior journalist Ahongsgangbam Mobi as a moderator.