Involve PRIs in war against drugs: Chief Secretary to Officers

Srinagar, Aug 23: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta Wednesday held the 3rdUT Level NCORD meeting to take a comprehensive review of efforts being made to mitigate the menace of drugs here.
The meeting was attended by ACS, Home; Principal Secretary, Higher Education; Principal Secretary, School Education; Divisional Commissioners, Jammu/Kashmir; ADGP, Kashmir/Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare; Secretary Health; MD, NHM; Excise Commissioner; Zonal Director, NCB Jammu; SSP, ANTF and all the Deputy Commissioners and District SPs.
Outstation based officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Dr Mehta impressed upon the officers to put joint efforts in eradicating this menace from the society. He underscored the need of owning this mission and be determined to root it out at every cost.
The Chief Secretary further asked the departments to carry a massive campaign against the drug abuse from the next month. He directed for fully involving the PRI members in the war against drugs and make it easy for others to report the offenders involved in this illicit trade.
Dr Mehta also stressed on increasing the surveillance especially around the educational institutions. He suggested to provide a WhatsApp contact for reporting of such crimes besides use social and other media for creating awareness about the ill effects and symptoms of drug addiction.
He expressed that the menace is catastrophic and needs to be dealt very severely at each level. He observed that the UT cannot afford losing its young generation to this unfortunate plague. He asked for making a distinction between victims and drug peddlers. He remarked that the former should be assisted in all respects for his rehabilitation while the later should be shown no mercy and brought to book.
Regarding the plan for dealing with this menace the Chief Secretary suggested for using the satellite imagery for watching the cultivation and growth of poppy and cannabis. He also made out that the sale of such medicines used in addiction should be regulated and watched by the concerned department for their sale over the counter.
Dr Mehta called for suggestions from all the participants to nip this evil from the society. He stressed on increasing the rate of converting the FIRs into convictions besides involving all the stakeholders in the ‘War against Drugs’.
Chief Secretary sought a briefing from all concerned departments regarding efforts being made in this regard at their respective ends. He directed for conducting monthly meetings by district NCORD committees without any fail and updating the data on national NCORD portal.
Earlier in the meeting, Spl DG Crime gave a detailed presentation of drug scenario in J&K and the challenges to counter the drug menace and efforts being made by all stakeholders to fight this problem.
It was given in the meeting that hundreds of FIRs have been registered against the dealers and cultivators of illegal substances. It was also made out that both the booking and conviction rate has increased this year and there is substantial reduction in growing of poppy and cannabis as compared to previous years in the UT.