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Sonil Dedhia and Purvaja Sawant (BOMBAY TIMES; June 11, 2016)
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Sonil Dedhia and Purvaja Sawant (BOMBAY TIMES; June 11, 2016)
On Friday, the Bombay High Court told the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) that their job is to cer tify and not censor films. It also said that the multiplex audience is mature enough to make a choice about the films they want to watch. The HC said the movie “wants to save peo ple from drugs“ and “has not been made with a view to malign the state or its people“. Reacting to this, Pahlaj Nihalani, CBFC chief, said, “Now it's up to the court. Our job is done.“ The HC will announce its verdict on Monday .
Even as the debate between the makers and the CBFC continues, many people have raised the question - why is Punjab being singled out when the drug abuse problem is prevalent across the world? BT gives you an insight into the gravity of the drug abuse problem in Punjab and its devastating effect on the youth.
UNEMPLOYMENT & PEER PRESSURE DRIVE YOUTH TOWARDS DRUGS
According to the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at the All t India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the largest t addicts in the state are those between the age group of 15 to 35. Confirming this, Anoop Singh Bhullar, who runs an NGO in the outskirts of Amritsar, shares, “I hope Udta Punjab will create awareness about the issue. I support the movie because we must show the reality in the state. If there is a problem, it should be highlighted, not hidden. In the last few years, unemployment and peer pressure has been driving many youngsters in the state towards drugs.“ According to studies, the lyrics of Punjabi pop songs contain references to drugs and violence, thus glorifying substance abuse.
Sadhavi Khosla, a social activist who has made a documentary on the drug problem in the state, says, “At least India is now talking about Punjab because of the film.Though it's a piece of fictional work, it depicts the harsh reality of the state. Punjab is facing the highest percentage of drug abuse in India. I've met mothers who have lost their children and wives who have lost their husbands. People have sold their houses, cars and ancestral lands to save the members of their family who are under the influence of drugs. Punjab used to be one of the premium states of India but today, it is being compared to Mexico.“
Twenty-one-year old Sagar Sondhi from Bhikiwind, Punjab, who is undergoing reatment for substance abuse, says, “I started indulging in drugs because of my friends, who were addicted. I have only studied till Class VII and wasn't aware of the repercussions. A syringe would cost us around Rs 500. It was a big amount, so we would steal money from our kirana shop. Eventually, this affected our business and we had to shut shop. Today, when I look back, I regret it.“
WOMEN TOO ARE GETTING ADDICTED
Women, who have been traumatised after fighting against substance abuse to save the lives of their men, have now started taking drugs them selves. Families are wary of sending female victims to rehabilitation centres because of social stigma, hence so many women are suffering.
INADEQUATE ACTION BY THE GOVERNMENT
Unfortunately, there are not enough consellors and psychiatrists in the state who can deal with the victims. Anoop adds, “Though the state government of Punjab is trying to solve the issue, awareness has to be created on a much larger scale. In the past, the government had come up with many schemes, but most of them have failed during implementation.“
Sadhavi believes that if the government wants, they can solve the drug problem in a short span of time. “But, instead of arresting drug ped dlers, victims are being thrown in jail. Politicians across various parties in the state are involved. The rehabilitation centres are in a sorry state. I was shocked to see drugs being sold outside these centres and in their parking lots,“ she says.
Even as the debate between the makers and the CBFC continues, many people have raised the question - why is Punjab being singled out when the drug abuse problem is prevalent across the world? BT gives you an insight into the gravity of the drug abuse problem in Punjab and its devastating effect on the youth.
UNEMPLOYMENT & PEER PRESSURE DRIVE YOUTH TOWARDS DRUGS
According to the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at the All t India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the largest t addicts in the state are those between the age group of 15 to 35. Confirming this, Anoop Singh Bhullar, who runs an NGO in the outskirts of Amritsar, shares, “I hope Udta Punjab will create awareness about the issue. I support the movie because we must show the reality in the state. If there is a problem, it should be highlighted, not hidden. In the last few years, unemployment and peer pressure has been driving many youngsters in the state towards drugs.“ According to studies, the lyrics of Punjabi pop songs contain references to drugs and violence, thus glorifying substance abuse.
Sadhavi Khosla, a social activist who has made a documentary on the drug problem in the state, says, “At least India is now talking about Punjab because of the film.Though it's a piece of fictional work, it depicts the harsh reality of the state. Punjab is facing the highest percentage of drug abuse in India. I've met mothers who have lost their children and wives who have lost their husbands. People have sold their houses, cars and ancestral lands to save the members of their family who are under the influence of drugs. Punjab used to be one of the premium states of India but today, it is being compared to Mexico.“
Twenty-one-year old Sagar Sondhi from Bhikiwind, Punjab, who is undergoing reatment for substance abuse, says, “I started indulging in drugs because of my friends, who were addicted. I have only studied till Class VII and wasn't aware of the repercussions. A syringe would cost us around Rs 500. It was a big amount, so we would steal money from our kirana shop. Eventually, this affected our business and we had to shut shop. Today, when I look back, I regret it.“
WOMEN TOO ARE GETTING ADDICTED
Women, who have been traumatised after fighting against substance abuse to save the lives of their men, have now started taking drugs them selves. Families are wary of sending female victims to rehabilitation centres because of social stigma, hence so many women are suffering.
INADEQUATE ACTION BY THE GOVERNMENT
Unfortunately, there are not enough consellors and psychiatrists in the state who can deal with the victims. Anoop adds, “Though the state government of Punjab is trying to solve the issue, awareness has to be created on a much larger scale. In the past, the government had come up with many schemes, but most of them have failed during implementation.“
Sadhavi believes that if the government wants, they can solve the drug problem in a short span of time. “But, instead of arresting drug ped dlers, victims are being thrown in jail. Politicians across various parties in the state are involved. The rehabilitation centres are in a sorry state. I was shocked to see drugs being sold outside these centres and in their parking lots,“ she says.
