President Maithripala Sirisena has said that the “Sujatha Daruwo” programme will commence from March 15, as a special programme of the National Drug Prevention Project to protect the new generation and the school children from the drug menace.

The President made these remarks participating in the opening ceremony of the new building of Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency, yesterday (28), the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

This new building is located at the Block D of the premise of Sugathadasa Outdoor Stadium.

Speaking at the event, President Sirisena has said that there is an organized racket in the country to smuggle dangerous drugs and introduce drugs into universities and to the school children by using various methods. The “Sujatha Daruwo” Programme will implement a broad programme to educate students on how to combat it, he added.

The President has also said that the “Sujatha Daruwo” Programme will be introduced among the school children as a friendly programme with the contribution of the relevant Ministries including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Health as well as with the assistance of the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Police under the coordination of the Presidential Secretariat and with the participation of expert medical teams.

The President has further said that according to the new statistics, the number of people who had consumed dangerous drugs is nearly 200,000. He has also pointed out that the Government has already implemented a comprehensive programme to strengthen the laws relating to illegal drug trafficking as well as to prevent it and that the establishment of authority on rehabilitation of drug addicts is currently taking place.

President Sirisena has also highlighted the importance of our sportsmen and sportswomen, who take the good image of the country to the world, are healthy and good citizens and do not use drugs and stimulants, the PMD said.

The Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency functions with the aim of building a disciplined generation and a clean sports field while preventing the use of stimulants, according to the PMD.

The new building, built at a cost of Rs.190 million, is comprised of 5 storeys, and blocks have been established in this building to investigate the use of stimulant drugs according to international standard. It also has a fully equipped auditorium to hold seminars and awareness programmes, the PMD further said.

Minister Harin Fernando, Professor Arjuna de Silva, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency, Sports Instructors, Coaches and sports men and women have also been present at the occasion.