HC to hear PIL on substance abuse among school children
The Delhi high court will hear on Wednesday a public interest litigation which demands a directive to the state government to ensure that city's school children do not get easy access to intoxicants and prevents its entry into schools. Harish V Nair reports.
The Delhi high court will hear on Wednesday a public interest litigation which demands a directive to the state government to ensure that city's school children do not get easy access to intoxicants and prevents its entry into schools.
The PIL, filed by lawyer Sanjeev Sabharwal, is based on a news report, 'Delhi kids on a dangerous high', published in the Hindustan Times on March 16.
The petition asks for restricted access of eraser fluid, naphthalene balls, pain-relieving balms, nail paint remover, paint thinner, among other such substances, to school-going children.
To be heard by a bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra, the PIL said the Directorate of Education should ensure that such substances do not make way into schools.
Sabharwal also said in the petition that parents must be made aware of the widespread substance abuse among school children.
HT had reported on how students of a top school in Greater Noida were caught on CCTV cameras sniffing eraser fluid in class.
The report also said the situation was worse in Delhi, with schoolchildren as young as 10 years old were getting addicted to sniffing eraser fluid, glue, pain-relieving balms, paint thinner, nail polish remover - regular items available at any neighbourhood stationery or provision shop.
Costing just between R15 and R30, most children could buy these items from their lunch money.
Some even go as far as inhaling petrol from their parents' cars and or parked bikes.
The report quoted doctors who said prolonged abuse could damage brain cells and cause cancer.
The PIL has named as respondents the Delhi government, the Directorate of Education, National Commission of Protection of Child Rights and Delhi State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.