Jan-March 2006 - Institute of Sikh Studies

A TALE OF HELPLESSNESS83A TALE OF HELPLESSNESS– GROWING DRUG ADDICTION IN PUNJAB –REEMA ANAND *Today I feel helpless as a Punjabi foremost, then a helpless writerand finally a helpless filmmaker! After touring the state for three daysand three nights, I realise my state, which was once an epitome ofprosperity, joy and laughter, basant and mustard fields, is slowly sinkinginto an unmentionable physical and mental despair.I stare into a near future, where Punjabis (70 per cent) will bemere zombies and hence soft target for any form of exploitation — bythe State, vested foreign interests and mercenary individuals. It is aticking time-bomb.How can I, in my individual capacity, stop a class VII student ofmy state from drifting into drug addiction and also stop him frominducing his equally innocent friend? I cannot, therefore I am helpless.How can I ask his parents to be more vigilant and stop pamperinghim with money and mobiles, which make him go looking for other“kicks”?How can the school authorities of the state shut their eyes on aproblem which has become an epidemic in the last seven years? Howcan they shirk their responsibility and not carry out an anti-drugawareness campaign in the schools?The information about the nexus of the police, politicians anddrug mafia is nothing new for the general public or the media. But Iwish truly that at least one politician who unloads trucks and tractortrolleysof “bhukki” during elections to woo his voters, and one policeofficial who waits for his share from the proceeds of drug sale, could* The writer is making a documentary film on drug addiction in Punjab. (Courtesy :The Tribune, November 22, 2005)