HP mobile ban the right step

The horrors of online addiction came to the fore recently with the chilling death by suicide of three minor girls in Ghaziabad, allegedly obsessed with Korean serials and video games.

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu's announcement of a ban on mobile phones in all government and private schools in the state from March |, therefore, has come as a timely step. The Chief Minister cited the need for academic excellence and interpersonal growth as the reason for the ban, Students found with mobile devices will have to pay a fine of Rs 500, while their parents or guardians will have to undergo mandatory counselling. Adolescent obsession with mobile phones is a dangerous trend that needs to be curbed. There have been innumerable cases of reckless online behaviour by teenagers, leading to fatal consequences. It has been found that many students are spending more time on their mobile devices than on studies or sports, hampering their all-round growth. The relentless use of so