KISHTWAR,JAN 18 (KNO) : Kishtwar Police has organised a high profile anti-drug district level debate contest at the district headquarters Kishtwar here today. The contest was aimed at creating awareness against drug abuse. A large number of participants spoke in the contest amidst hundreds of students, youths, respectables , senior citizens, police, security and civil administration officers.In view of the public demand against the eradication of drugs and the instructions of Chief Minister of J&K and the DGP J&K in public darbars, police in district Kishtwar has recently adopted a two pronged strategy for the eradication of drugs from district. This strategy included legal action against the drug peddlers which includes registration of cases under NDPS Act & action preventive provisions of law and the awareness among the public against the drug abuse.As part of the awareness against drug abuse among the general public, Kishtwar police organised a district level debate contest in which 33 contestants from different parts of the district and from different educational institutions took part. Besides the participants hundreds of students, youths, respectables, senior citizens, officers of civil & police administration, education department, CRPF, Army & CISF attended the function.Senior Superintendent of Police Kishtwar Abrar Chowdhary in his welcome address explained the damages that drug has caused so far. He said that district Police in the last few months has registered more than 20 FIRs under NDPS Act and has recovered a large quantity of drug including Charas, tablets etc. He said that police has detained a large number of persons under preventive provisions of law. He said that police has developed a wide anti-drug base and police shall take every possible step to eradicate the menace of drug from the district. Police has developed a strategy to involve all religious, social organizations, NGOs, educational institutions, security forces and people from all walks of life for creating awareness against the drug menace.The function was chaired by the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana. In his address the Deputy Commissioner appealed the public to desist from the drugs. He advised the parents & teachers to maintain a strict vigil on their wards and students so that they should stay away from the bad company. The Deputy Commissioner appreciated the enthusiasm shown by the children, youth and students in participating and attending this highly meaningful debate. He said that police and administration shall not leave any stone unturned to get the district rid of drug abuse and other social evils.The Jury for the debate contest included Chief Medical Officer Kishtwar Dr. Abdul Majeed, Principal DIET Kishtwar Suresh Kumar Sen, Principal Govt. Higher Secondary School Boys Kishtwar Prehlad Bhagat, Professor Faisal Kichloo and Ranjna Shan Senior Lecturer DIET Kishtwar.Out of the 33 contestants, 24 were the girl students of various institutions and 09 male students took part in the debate. Those who attained first, second, third & fourth positions included Palvi Devi D/O Sh. Bhem Singh R/O Galhar, Padder, Ateeba Manzoor D/O Manzoor Ahmed Sirwal of Kishtwar, Simriti Sharma D/O Sh. Chander Kant Sharma R/O Shakti Nagar Kishtwar and Sheran Akber Khateeb S/O Akber Ali Khateeb R/O Affani Padder respectively.Interestingly, the first position holder at district level contest was a Govt. school girl from a middle class family residing in a far flung area of Padder. Those who attended the district level debate contest included Additional Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Kishori Lal Sharma, CO 52 Bn CRPF P K Choudhary, CO CISF 7th Reserve Bn A K Jha, Additional SP Kishtwar Parbeet Singh, Chief Animal Husbandry Kishtwar Dr. Sanjay Sen, ARTO Kishtwar Abhay Sharma, Prof, Yasin Sirwal, Prof.Ashiq Hussain, Dy SP Headquarters Kishtwar Nihar Ranjan, Dy SP Operations Nissar Khoja, Dy SP DAR Kishtwar Manoj Kumar and other pokice officers, Major Bakshi of 26 RR, teachers of various institutions, Civil Society members of the social & religious organizations, NGO members etc. The public of the district has appreciated the initiative of the police and has assured the full co-operation to police in eradication of drug menace & other social evils.(KNO)