Baba Jaivinder Singh (with white beard in white clothes) with inmates of the Akal Drug De-addiction Centre at Cheema, near Sunam. The local Akal Drug De-addiction cum Rehabilitation Centre has been proving to be a boon since July, 2004, for drug addicts of not only the Malwa belt and other parts of the state, but also for drug addicts of neighbouring states like Delhi and Haryana. The de-addiction centre is being run here by the Kalgidhar Trust, Baru Sahib (Himachal Pradesh). Indoor patients are being looked after by two doctors, six pharmacists and nursing assistants and two ward boys at the centre.
The centre started its functioning from the local Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sant Attar Singh ji, but in September, 2007, it was shifted to a newly constructed building built for it. Though the building has a capacity to accommodate 35 drug addicts as indoor patients, there are 31 drug addicts under treatment nowadays. The indoor patients are normally treated here for a period of six weeks for medical, psychiatric, nursing and psychological care.
A 16-year-old boy from Bharri Mansa village (near Dhuri) started taking smack during the last Assembly elections and became a habitual addict of the smack. He started spending Rs 500 daily on smack, which he got from family members by quarrelling with them. He said he had been purchasing smack from a nearby village. Whenever he failed to secure smack, his body felt restlessness. He said after coming to this centre, he had gained 8 kg weight during the past five weeks.
Another 35-year-old married man who came from Chottian village (near Lehragaga) to the centre, said he had been consuming excess liquor for the past 20 years, besides consuming poppy husk for some time. In June last year, he was admitted to the centre as a drug addict and he remained there for about two months. Now he was in good health, he added.
Baba Jaivinder Singh, chief manager, Akal Academy, Cheema (near Sunam), said since July, 2004, about 700 drug addicts had been treated as indoor patients by the centre, while about 1,500 drug addicts had taken treatment as out-door patients till now. He further said the centre had benefited patients, who had come here from the areas of Muktsar, Delhi, Nabha, Phagwara, Moga, Mansa, Sirsa, Barnala, Fatehabad, Patiala, Bathinda etc
Frontline comments
This is an example for all, the whole panth should follow in these footsteps.
