After reviewing increasing drug smuggling and addiction among youths in Haryana state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah through Video Conference directed Haryana state police to take stern action against fast spreading menace and the drug smugglers and suppliers in Haryana state, as such state government enhanced activities to make the state drug free and state Narcotic Control Bureau registered 3825 FIRs under NDPS Act and arrested nearly 6000 persons during past year, it was disclosed to media persons by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said that state government has attached properties of value worth Rs 46 crore belonging to drug smugglers in Haryana. On the direction of Shah, about the state state government’s action plan in drug-prone districts, Khattar said that 500 policemen were deployed in the worst affected Nuh district to break the drug network, besides this a special campaign against drugs is also being run in the border villages.
Giving details about the government’s crackdown on drug smuggling, during a regional conference Haryana Chief Minister said that 3825 FIRs were registered in Haryana and about 6,000 persons were arrested in a year and state government has further intensified the campaign against drug smuggling during this year. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the state has already attached or demolished properties worth Rs 46 crore belonging to drug dealers and traffickers in last one year and there are yet several more such properties belonging to drug smugglers in Haryana yet to be demolished or attached on the radar of Narcotic Control Bureau in the state. Giving details about the government’s crackdown on drug smuggling, Khattar said that nearly 6,000 persons were arrested in last one year also include 10 Nigerian suppliers and the assets worth Rs 46 crore of 71 persons in this illegal business were attached or demolished.
Khattar said, 40 sniffer dogs have been trained for effective implementation of the NDPS Act, the assistance of a legal advisor is being sought, 8 new Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) have been set up across the state, which include one FSL has started functioning in Sirsa which is also worst drugs affected district in the state. CM said that after preparing a state action plan, a survey is being conducted in which the parents of those youths including females also involved in drug abuse are also included so as to make them aware of this social evil. CM said apart from this a software has been developed to nab the culprits. Fifty-two drug de-addiction centres are being run in the state, Khattar further said.
Chief Minister Khattar disclosed that Narcotics of value worth Rs 9 crore were destroyed in Rewari a couple of days ago, while narcotics worth Rs 100 crore were destroyed on June 26 this year. He said, to prevent the illegal sale of drugs mobile app ‘Sathi’ has been developed by the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau and Drug Administration Department has been strictly directed that all chemist stores in the state after the launch of this app, no illegal drug can be sold by chemists without a prescription, all chemists have been warned. Khattar said, apart from this, Raahgiri programs have also been started to make the youth of the state aware of drug abuse. About the state government’s action plan in drug-prone districts, Chief Minister said, to break the drug network ,extra police forces are being engaged in the state to take steps similar to those taken in the Mewat area.
Khattar said, Mission teams have been formed from the village and ward level to the state level for de-addiction and rehabilitation, in which village sarpanch and other persons from social welfare organizations have been included so that Haryana can be made a drug-free state. To help drug addicts in the state, a toll-free anti-drug helpline number 9050891508 has also been started to collect information from the public about drug peddling activities in their area, so far 5,542 calls have been received on this number, which is proving useful for helping addicts and also playing a key tool in breaking the drug supply chain. Talking to media persons, a Haryana government senior bureaucrat said, DGP as well as chief of Narcotic Control Bureau has been directed to tighten the noose around those involved in the illegal smuggling, supply and addiction of drugs so that the dream to make Haryana drugs-free should be fulfilled.
