INVC NEWS
Shimla,
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today directed forests and revenue departments to ensure that the people do not encroach upon and cultivate illegitimate cannabis and poppy on government land. He said a high level committee would also be constituted by involving police, education, health, information and public relations, agriculture, horticulture departments to come out with a concrete plan to curb the menace of drugs overshadowing the younger generation.
The Chief Minister, who was chairing a High level meeting to review the steps being taken to curb drug menace in the state, also suggested for a separate office of Superintendent of Police with dedicated team of police and drug officers and officials to effectively nab the drug peddlers and smugglers.
He said the urban local bodies and gram panchayats should also be given the responsibility to report about any type of illegal cultivation of drugs on both private and government land. Any person giving a clue about drug trafficking or any such associated activity taking place in their vicinity would be suitably awarded, he stated.
The Chief Minister said the challenges posed by illicit drug trafficking and abuse of drugs were universal and India was no exception to this problem.
“A lot has been done to root-out drug business in the State but I feel whatever is being done is not enough to completely eradicate production of cannabis and poppy in the state and to restrict the smuggling of drugs from outside” said Shri Virbhadra Singh. He said apart from development, we need to stem-out the drugs from the state completely with top priority.
He said it was alarming that large number of youths were falling prey to the drugs and if the problem was not nailed now, we can face the similar problem as Punjab state was facing. He said the State government was committed to curbing this menace and directed the police, and forest officials to conduct raids to destroy illicit cultivation of cannabis and poppy plants.
Shri Virbhadra Singh said that we had to stop this menace at every cost and nab the culprits with a heavy hand so as to ensure that no illicit drugs were either produced in the State or smuggled from outside the State.
He said illicit drug business attracts criminal organizations because of the huge potential profits and the online pharmacies indulging in illicit sale of pharmaceutical drugs through internet was major emerging problem which had to be countered effectively.
He said it had been observed the youth of rural areas were being addicted to psychotropic drugs which were easily available and the police needs to keep vigil on the peddlers involved in the drug trade.
The Chief Minister said that police need to trap kingpins involved in the organized drug trade as it had been observed that youth in the age group of 18 to 25 were being lured and hired as couriers by them.
The Chief Minister said the teachers also need to play an important role and should keep an eye on the children in odd hours too. He said that regular monitoring of the shops within the vicinity of schools should be done and if anyone find any clue or hint about the illegal sale of any type of psychotropic substance by the shopkeepers it should be reported to the police.
He said that the narcotic wing of the police department would be strengthened and there won’t be any dearth of funds for tackling the menace.
Chief Minister also directed the Information and Public Relations Department to come with effective awareness campaign which focus on educational institutions to educate youth about the ill effects of drugs. He directed that posters or pamphlets highlighting the effects of drug abuse should be brought out and displayed at all educational institutions and public places.
He also invited suggestion from the senior police and civil officers on the occasion.
Revenue Minister Thakur Kaul Singh said that a joint campaign would be conducted by Forest and Revenue departments to check any illegal cultivation of cannabis and poppy on government land. He said regular raids would be conducted jointly by police and drug inspectors in chemist shops to check selling of drugs to youth without prescription.
Senior civil and police officers of the State government were present on the occasion.
