Udta Bharat: Why India's youths are taking easy way out of their angst
The biggest-ever drug bust in Kerala: Crystal meth worth Rs 25K cr seized
OVER LAST WEEKEND, THE NARCOTICS CONTROL BUREAU (NCB) and the Indian Navy—as part of the Operation Samudragupt, which targets ships carrying narcotic contraband through the Indian Ocean region—in a joint operation, seized narcotics weighing about 2,500 kg and valued at a whopping Rs 25,000 crore from a vessel at an undisclosed location in the Indian waters. The contraband being smuggled across the Indian Ocean waters was found to be high-purity methamphetamine, which is also known as ‘crystal meth’.
One person was arrested by the agencies. He is suspected to be a Pakistan national. Investigations into the seizure are on. NCB sources later disclosed that the contraband belonged to a notorious drug mafia led by Pakistan-based Haji Salim.
Around 134 sacks stuffed with the contraband— displayed in Kochi, Kerala—were seized from the unnamed vessel—referred to as a ‘mother ship’ in NCB parlance. The ship was intercepted off the Kochi waters. ‘Mother ships’ are large seafaring vessels that carry large quantities of narcotic contraband to be offloaded onto receptor vessels along its route.
WHY DRUG ADDICTION IS ON THE RISE
There are a number of reasons why drug addiction is on the rise among youngsters in India. Some of the most common reasons include:
Easy availability of drugs: Drugs are easily available in India—both in the urban and rural areas. This is because India is a major producer of opium and other drugs
Peer pressure: Peer pressure is a major factor in drug addiction among youngsters. Many youngsters start using drugs because their friends use them
Stress and anxiety: Stress and anxiety are common problems among youngsters in India. These problems can lead to drug use as a way to cope with the syndromes
Mental health problems: Mental health problems—such as depression and schizophrenia—can also lead to drug addiction. People with mental health problems often use drugs as a means of self-medication
No awareness of dangers: Many youngsters in India are not aware of the dangers of drug addiction. They may not know that drug addiction can lead to serious health problems—such as addiction, overdose, and even death
According to a 2019 report by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, there are an estimated 3.5 million drug addicts in India. Of these, 2.5 million are between the ages of 15 and 35. The report also found that the number of drug addicts in India is increasing at an alarming rate. In 2009, there were an estimated 2.2 million drug addicts in India. This number increased by 70% in just 10 years.
The NDDTC also said there were an estimated 6 million drug addicts in India in 2022. Of these, 40 lakh were addicted to opioids, 20 lakh to cannabis and 10 lakh to other drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines.
PUNJAB STATE RANKS THE HIGHEST
According to the NDDTC, the state of Punjab has the highest number of over 2 million drug addicts in India, which is about 3% of the state’s population. The majority of drug addicts in Punjab are addicted to opioids, such as heroin and opium.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the high rate of drug addiction in Punjab. One factor is the easy availability of drugs since Punjab is a major producer of opium and other drugs. Another factor is poverty and unemployment in the state. Many people in Punjab are poor and unemployed and turn to drugs as a way to cope with their problems.
The high rate of drug addiction in Punjab is a serious problem that is having a negative impact on the health, education and employment of a large section of the population, affecting mostly youngsters. It is also a problem that is costing the Indian government billions of rupees each year.
There are a number of measures that can be taken to address the problem of drug addiction among India’s youngsters. Some of the most important steps include:
►Increasing awareness about the dangers of drug addiction
►Providing treatment for drug addicts
►Cracking down on the supply of drugs
►Addressing the underlying causes of drug addiction—such as stress, anxiety and mental health problems
Addressing the problem of drug addiction among youngsters in India is a complex challenge. However, it is a challenge that must be addressed if India is to build a healthy and prosperous future for its youth who are the workforce of tomorrow.
Girish Linganna
Aerospace & Defence Analyst
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
