Who is selling drugs near schools? Punjab to install ‘secret information boxes’ for students to drop tip-offs

The project is a part of “Yuddh Nasheyaan Viruddh” (War Against Drugs), the statewide drive against drugs launched by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government.

According to the design of the drop box which has been provided to the school principals, it would carry a photograph of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann with the slogan: “Yuddh Nasheyaan Viruddh… your identity will be kept secret.”

The education department has also prepared a questionnaire which students/teachers and even the non-teaching staff of the school can fill and drop in the box. The questions on the form aim to extract information from students and teachers regarding the drug suppliers who try to lure youngsters into addiction and sell drugs to them.

The questionnaire states: “Please provide any information you have about: 1) Drugs being used inside or outside the school 2) Persons involved in drug supply 3) Location where drugs are being sold/consumed 4) Any suspicious activity related to drugs.”

The questionnaire further clarifies that the identity of the information provider will be kept secret. The form also encourages students to give suggestions on how drug abuse in Punjab can be controlled.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Gurinder Singh Sodhi, director, Punjab school education (secondary), said that the initiative aims to keep school campuses safe for students as the drug peddlers attempt to target youngsters, particularly from classes 8 to 12.

“We have distributed these questionnaires which students, teachers and even non-teaching staff can fill and drop in the box if they have any information on drug supply or use happening inside or outside the school,” said Sodhi.

“The boxes will be installed in over 1900 senior secondary schools and the principals have been given a deadline of October 24 to get the task done,” he added.

Sodhi said that the questionnaire has been prepared to “easily maintain the data in a particular format” but otherwise students/teachers can also write their inputs on a blank paper and drop in the box.

The drop boxes carved in iron, and with the CM Mann’s photo, have to be made using the amalgamated school fund, as per the order.

The students in Punjab government schools are being taught a special anti-drug curriculum launched by AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on August 1 earlier this year. The curriculum was developed with J-PAL South Asia, co-founded by Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee, along with leading behavioural scientists.