{
  "id": 1732886,
  "title": "R&B department calls for collective efforts to curb drug abuse",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/r-b-department-calls-for-collective-efforts-to-curb-drug-abuse",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T15:10:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/rb-department-calls-for-collective-efforts-to-curb-drug-abuse/article71361240.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Roads and Buildings department in Vijayawada organized an anti-drug awareness rally on Tuesday as part of the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' initiative. The rally, which commenced at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium, aimed to create awareness about the harmful effects of drug abuse and prevent substance addiction, especially among the youth. R&B Engineer-in-Chief V. Ramachandra highlighted the seriousness of drug abuse as a threat to society and emphasized the need to address the issue early on. He urged people of all age groups to understand the adverse consequences of drug abuse and spread awareness among their surroundings. R&B Chief Engineer K. Naveen added that collective efforts were essential to curb the use and illegal trafficking of narcotics. He specifically appealed to young people to steer clear of drugs and other harmful addictions, focusing instead on creating a healthy and promising future. The rally proceeded through Benz Circle before concluding at the R&B department office, with the overarching goal of promoting a drug-free society.",
  "summary": "Flagging off the rally to create awareness, R&B Engineer-in-Chief stresses the need to address the problem at an early stage",
  "key_points": [
    "R&B department organizes anti-drug awareness rally in Vijayawada",
    "Engineer-in-Chief stresses early intervention against drug abuse",
    "Collective efforts urged to curb drug use and trafficking"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}