Hyderabad will host a three-day Nasha Mukt Bharat Yatra from November 25, led by Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy. The first phase, titled ‘Hyderabad Walks for Nasha Mukt Bharat’, will continue until November 27. The campaign aims to mobilise public participation in preventing drug abuse and promoting a drug-free society.
As part of the preparations, organisers held a conference of intellectuals at Visvesvaraya Bhavan in Khairatabad. Kishan Reddy attended the programme as chief guest. Performers presented a skit showing the harmful effects of drug abuse on young people. The performance moved the audience, and participants later pledged to work towards a drug-free society.
Speaking to the media, Kishan Reddy said the Narendra Modi government had launched a nationwide movement to make India drug-free by 2029. He described the initiative as a historic public campaign. He called for participation from artists, film personalities, sportspersons, industrialists, educational institutions, media representatives and intellectuals.
The Union Minister stressed that tackling drug abuse needs public involvement alongside government action. He appealed to citizens to take an active role in spreading awareness about the dangers of narcotics. He said India’s young population is the country’s greatest strength. He warned, however, that drug abuse threatens the future of young people and the nation.
He urged families, institutions and communities to recognise the seriousness of the narcotics problem. He said preventing drug abuse should not remain solely the responsibility of the government and police. Instead, he called for a coordinated public response involving people from different professional and social backgrounds.
The preparatory conference brought together representatives from educational institutions, voluntary organisations and civil society. Rajya Sabha MP Dr. K. Laxman, former MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy and former Director General of Police Dinesh Reddy attended. Retired Major General V.R. Mahendra, Dr. Siddhartha Reddy, JNTU representative Kishan Kumar Reddy and psychiatrist Dr. Sudhakar also took part, along with academicians, NGO representatives and social activists. The meeting ended with participants taking a pledge to contribute to building a drug-free society.
