Mangaluru: The District administration has strictly instructed the educational institutions to organise mentoring programmes to prevent students from falling victims to sexual/ mental abuse or any other illegal activities.
A meeting was convened by inviting the heads of educational institutions, NGOs, officials of various government departments at Nethravathi auditorium of Zilla Panchayat office on Monday, July 8, which was chaired by Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil. Pointing at the repeated incidents of sexual abuse on school and college students in the district, Senthil asked the opinions of all, to tackle such incidents in future.
The common opinion heard in the meeting was that mobile phones should be banned in schools and colleges which was opined to be the main reason for this issue. Meanwhile, stringent action also was sought from the police department against the drug peddlers who supply ganja and other intoxicants to college students.
Rajashekhar Hebbar, Principal of Car Street College informed that colleges have already ordered a ban on students using mobile phones in campus. “However, some students deposit their mobile phones in the nearby shops when they go to school and collect them after classes. Such practice should be curbed and students should not be allowed to use mobile phones when they are studying”, he said.
Registrar of Mangaluru University Dr. A M Khan opined that in-house counselling should be provided to those students who fall prey to the drug menace and for those who disobey the instructions. Prameela Rao, lecturer in Kavoor First Grade College opined that weekend parties by the college students, and pubs and resorts offering them attractive concessions to organise such parties were leading to such unwanted issues. Police should trace such pubs and resorts and take measures to prevent such practice. If a drug peddler is found selling drugs to the college students, they should be severely punished ensuring that none would indulge in such illegal activities further, she stressed.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hanumantharaya informed that people are scared to share information on drug peddlers even though police department assures that their identity would not be revealed at any cost. Police department has been taking up various measures to check the drug menace. However, without the cooperation of the people, police cannot do anything, he said.
After receiving a bundle of suggestions from all, DC Sasikanth Senthil informed that a circular would be issued to all educational institutions to set up certain guidelines which should be strictly followed. “Individual attention should be given to every student. As conducting mentoring programmes is mandatory in advanced countries, every educational institution here should follow the same atleast occasionally”, he advised.
Senthil also informed that people can call helpline number 1077 for any grievances pertaining to school and college students. A separate team will be formed to tackle issues of the students, he added.
Strict action against moral policing
Meanwhile, Senthil warned of strict action against the ones taking the law into their hands in the name of moral policing. “If anyone is found involving in any illegal activity, law will take its own action. On the pretext of setting the society right, one should not indulge in moral policing”, he added.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Selvamani R, DK district Superintendent of Police Lakshmi Prasad, Psychiatrist Dr. Ravish Thunga among others were present.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
