Vimukti Mission's Unarvu aims to keep children away from substance abuse in Tamil Nadu. Here's how

In a major initiative to keep school children away from the growing scourge of alcohol, narcotics and substance abuse, Vimukthi Mission of the Excise Department in Tamil Nadu is launching a project to channelise the energies of students into creative pursuits of arts and sports, besides helping them improve their academic performance. The project titled Unarvu will be carried out by the Vimukthi Mission, in association with the Parents and Teachers' Association of schools, representatives of civic bodies and residents associations, as well as traders and business people of the locality.

'Unarvu', which means 'awakening', seeks to dissuade children from using drugs, instil confidence and train them in creative pursuits, turn their minds from pernicious habits in a bid to spot and nourish their talents in arts and sports, thus saving their future from being wrecked. To begin with, the project will select four schools from each of the 14 districts of the state. Excise officials will visit the education institutions, study the drugs-related issues and form a committee that will chart out an action programme. 

Various activities will be carried out under the guidance of a high-powered panel at the Excise Commissionerate which includes sports experts.The programmes formulated by the school-level Unarvu committees will be implemented in cooperation with the excise department and Local Self-Government institutions. The centres of Vimukthi Mission will provide counselling and treatment to children suspected to be using drugs. 

Students will be given training in arts and sports at their schools, keeping in view the pertinent specialities of the local culture. Unarvu will also provide basic infrastructure and training facilities at schools through financial aid from the government besides corporate CSR funds. The programme will be implemented in select government schools and aided schools with support from cultural organisations after obtaining permission from local self-government institutions.

This programme will be implemented on an experimental basis in four schools in Thiruvananthapuram. These institutions are working to improve their sports infrastructure and training. Excise officials make themselves available in these schools even during intervals in order to ensure that students do not come in contact with drug mafia and fall into their trap. The officials will arrange the facility for counselling children suspected to be using drugs. 

The interventions by the initiative will definitely inculcate discipline among the students. Vimukthi Mission, under the aegis of the Excise Department, is also working in tandem with anti-drugs clubs at the school and college level, National Service Scheme (NSS), Kudumbashree, Student Police Cadets and similar voluntary organisations towards realising the dream of making the state free from the menace of drugs and alcohol consumption.