‘BAATCHEET’ – A Series of Inclusive and Participatory Discussion Sessions on Drug Abuse Awareness
Jodhpur, popularly known as the blue city in Rajasthan, has also received another title ‘the city covered with fumes of drugs’ in the recent times, due to the fast growing number of addicts. Additionally, sharing its borders with Punjab, the first transit point of drugs in India, and Afghanistan, the largest cultivator of opium, raises its vulnerability to the maximum.
The addiction is highest in the age groups, 40-50, compared to the other age groups.
“I cannot get up the day I don’t have Doda”, says Ramesh Dev Patil, a 43 year old citizen, who has been consuming it since over five years. He buys his quota of 250 grams each week for 180 rupees, wherein, the total income of his house, including his wife and elder son working day and night is just 250 rupees per week.
According to the observations and studies conducted, Low literacy rate, low socioeconomic status and incessant long working hours in the farming fields are the major causes for addiction which is statistically significant, as they have poor or no knowledge of the ill effects of the drug abuse. As a result, they become addicts in no time.
The Two pronged approach of ‘BAATCHEET’ is:
- PREVENTIVE AWARENSS & SENSITIZATION
By discouraging the non users for experimenting with drugs
- TREATMENT OF THE DRUG USER & ADDICTS
Through the Psycho-Analytical Module based on ‘Dhyan Therapy’
In order to bridge the gap between awareness required and awareness available, BODH the drug abuse eradication program of DJJS has commenced, ‘BAATCHEET - a drive for drug free Jodhpur’ in June 2014 from Chokha –a village, which is located 9 KM Northward, away from District head quarters of Jodhpur. The drive will target not only the non users but also those who have immersed themselves into the well of drug addiction.
The PHASE I of the drive include:
- Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops
- Query solving Sessions
- Door to door survey of the community
- Youth Meetings
- Lane Meetings
- Regular Field Visits
- Meetings with Women
- Meetings with community notables
- Mass Introductory Sessions in the Community
- Analysis of the survey
- Incorporating the analysis in the plan laid
As per the structure of the drive, to train the volunteers, various Training Sessions of the Trainers (TOT) workshops, have been organized, with women volunteers, with youth groups, doctors, lawyers, social activists and community notables. Simultaneously, door to door surveys have already been started from 24 June 2014, with the team of 100 volunteers, in the village Chokha in Jodhpur. This Door to door survey will be continued to some weeks, which will be covering the other villages of Jodhpur as well. Lastly but not the least, this project of awareness generation, through mass sensitization, via inclusion and participation, shall be extended to the state of Rajasthan in an entirety.
Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan is a multi-faceted socio-spiritual organization founded and headed by His holiness Ashutosh Maharaj Ji to actuate the vision of ‘Global Peace through Self- Awakening’. DJJS is working towards social reformation and welfare of the communities, through its network of branches spread across the globe. On social front, its primary focus remains on gender, health, education, environment, drug-abuse eradication, bovine conservation and empowerment of disabled and prisoners.
