Ravi Dhaliwal
Gurdaspur, October 13
For the Red Cross de-addiction centre, the past “has been perfect” while the future remains uncertain as the requisite funds are not flowing in. And with the police tightening its noose around drug peddlers, hundreds of addicts may find it hard to rehabilitate themselves in the coming days.
The 30-bed facility, which remains fully occupied throughout the year, is one of the four centres run by the Red Cross in Punjab.
The centre opened in 1991 and at that time, Rs 8,000 was provided per month by the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment. Almost 31 years later, the amount has remained the same despite a manifold hike in inflation.
Director Romesh Mahajan said the total monthly expenditure of the centre was pegged at Rs 60,000. “We have to pay salaries of 17 staff members. We also have to provide food three times a day to the addicts. Besides, payments have to be made for electricity and security. Every month, I dole out a substantial sum from my pocket to keep the pot boiling.”
“For addicts in the city, this is the favoured destination. There are two other de-addiction centres, which are run privately,” Mahajan added.
“The treatment offered to an addict is free of cost. Private centres charge Rs 20,000 per case. Ninety-nine per cent of patients belong to economically weaker sections, which means they prefer to get treatment at our centre,” he said.
In 2016, a three-member team from the US Embassy visited the centre and expressed its willingness to work for its upgrade. However, there were too many loose ends to be tied following which the proposed venture could not take a practical shape. Till now, the centre has treated nearly 26,000 clients as indoor patients and 57,000 at the OPD.
“The government should chip in with grants if it has to sustain its anti-drug drive,” said counsellor Komalpreet Kaur. “Our motto is simple. You fall seven times, we will make you stand eight times. But for that, we need money,” she added.
