The National Operations Council for the “Ratama Ekata - National Operation” convened for the first time today (17) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to implement a national program aimed at eradicating the drug menace, a national disaster currently facing the country, the PMD reported. 

The Cabinet paper presented by the President for the “Ratama Ekata - National Operation” to eradicate the drug menace was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on October 13, and it was proposed to establish a National Operations Council to implement the program.

Accordingly, the National Operations Council that convened today mainly discussed the eradication of the drug networks, the rehabilitation of those addicted to drugs, obtaining public participation to eradicate the drug menace, the participation of organizations to educate the public, and the implementation of a media campaign, the President’s Media Division said.

Explaining the primary objective of establishing this National Operations Council, President Dissanayake drew attention to the way in which the lives of the country’s youths and school children are currently at risk due to the drug menace, and how it has become a socio-economic disaster.