ANC adopts five Mumbai colleges for its drug-free campus drive

In an effort to sensitise students and put an end to the rising cases of narcotics addiction, the Anti-Narcotics Cell has initiated a project titled drug-free campus, as part of which it has identified five city colleges to tackle the menace — Wilson College in Girgaum, St Andrews College in Bandra, Lala Lajpat Rai College in Worli, Narayan Guru College in Chembur, and Atharva College in Malad.

"Each unit of ANC has adopted a college and will be initiating the project to make drug-free city a reality. We have selected the colleges based on their vulnerable locations and suspicious activities taking place around their premises," said Namdeo Chavan, DCP, ANC.

He said the officers have already told the colleges about the drive. "These colleges were chosen in our first lap as several peddling and consumption activities take place around their locations. We will be addressing students and sensitising them about the ill effects of every drug. We will also strengthen vigilance around these colleges and ensure that consumption and sale of narcotics do not take place here," said an ANC officer.

He added that with the drug habit rising among students and children, the department has been studying the city's drug culture. "We have discovered that slum colonies near these colleges are dangerously filled with peddlers, who lure children by spiking their drinks and later make them addicts. Once this happens, children cannot let go of the habit," said the officer.

The department also plans to extend this project across police stations so that each one can adopt a college in its area and ensure there is an end to the menace. This way, the project can be extended to 93 colleges in the city, said officers.