Building day/night stadia help curb drug abuse, prevent juvenile diabetes: Power Minister

Construction of day/night stadia will be an ideal alternative for the youth who are at risk of becoming drug addicts and it will provide a perfect solution to prevent juvenile diabetes, Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

He expressed his views while participating at an opening ceremony of the day/night stadium at the Arafa Central School in Weligama.

"The drug epidemic is rapidly affecting the younger generation and it is one of the most serious issues facing children in our country. We cannot save the youth with the help of the law alone, for that we should give alternative opportunities for them to get rid of those habits," he said.

He said the prime objective of building day and night stadia will provide an alternative opportunity to the youth.

They will get a chance to play in these stadia until midnight, he said.

"As a result, the younger generation that was addicted to drugs will not get time to walk except playing in the stadia," the Minister said.

Also, these playground construction projects will be a great blessing for the schoolchildren to stay healthy, he added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)