Guwahati, March 28: The Narcotics Control Bureau and Kripa Foundation, an NGO, are worried about the lack of initiative of school and college authorities in creating awareness among the students against alcoholism and drug addiction.

In an interactive session today, on Addiction, societal threats and responses project coordinator of Kripa Foundation, Dipak Sahney, said only a few of the schools and colleges they approached so far for an awareness drive responded to their efforts and the rest of them avoided the matter on the pretext of examinations or busy academic schedule.

“There is not a single instance where a city school or college has approached organisations which work against drug addiction and alcoholism. If we approach them they just shrug their shoulders and promise to contact us as soon as they can manage time. And they never get in touch,” said Sahney.

From years-long experience of working among street children, NGOs like Kripa Foundation has found that none of the street children has been spared from the tentacles of alcoholism or the dangerous habit of sniffing Dendrite, a kind of adhesive available in market which has a strong intoxicating effect.

Psychologist Lita Hazarika said most of the victims of alcoholism and drug addiction are from families where quarrels among their parents are frequent and the children are deprived of proper care and attention.

“The problem in the state is that there is no rehabilitation centre for such drug addict and alcoholic children. A rehabilitation centre is essential to treat such children,” said Hazarika.