The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Hyderabad, held a media workshop titled VARTA to brief journalists on the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the central government’s drug-free India campaign. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting organised the event at Maheshwaram in Ranga Reddy District, bringing together media professionals and local officials to discuss how the press can support anti-drug efforts across the country.
What the workshop covered
Around 60 media representatives and local stakeholders attended the VARTA workshop. Senior police officials from Telangana’s EAGLE Force, a specialised anti-drug unit, spoke about the scale of drug trafficking in the state. Since January, the EAGLE Force has seized approximately 8,000 kg of ganja across Telangana. Over 30,000 police personnel and officials from other departments have undergone training through roughly 22 different training programmes aimed at tackling drug abuse.
Officials stressed that drug abuse is no longer just a personal or family matter but has become a serious challenge affecting law and order and national security. They told journalists that the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is now a nationwide movement that requires participation from society as a whole, including families, schools, communities and the media.
The workshop urged media professionals to:
- Report drug-related cases with accuracy and care
- Protect the identity of minors involved in such cases
- Avoid unnecessary disclosure of personal details about drug users
- Highlight the harmful effects of substance abuse
- Inform the public about counselling and rehabilitation services available
What this means for you
If you use media or depend on news reports for information about drug-related issues, you can expect more responsible and sensitive coverage that avoids stigmatising people struggling with addiction while still raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. The workshop aims to help journalists report on the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and drug-prevention efforts in ways that encourage people to seek help rather than hide their problems.