Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday said that if needed a stringent law would be brought in to root out the drug mafias from the state. In an exclusive interview with ANI, CM Dhami spoke about a recent NCORD (Narco Coordination Center) meeting and said that the State Government is prepared to take whatever strict action is needed against drug trading and make Uttarakhand drug-free by 2025.
“Our Prime Minister and Home Minister have the vision for India to become a drugs-free nation, to make the children aware and to make them quit the habit, and to save the people who have become addicted. We had an NCORD meeting today regarding this matter, and we have agreed to make a drugs-free Uttarakhand before 2025,” the Chief Minister said. He further elaborated that the State Government would take all possible measures and introduce strict laws to combat the “drug mafia” in trading drugs.
“If there is a need to bring a stringent law like the anti-counterfeiting law to root out the drug mafia in the state, it can be done. However possible, we will get our people and our children out of this habit of consuming drugs,” he added. In the NCORD meeting, Deputy Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau MGyaneshwar Singh informed that 238 kg charas, 30 kg doda, 12 kg opium, 19.11 kg smack, 1.57 kg heroin, 1232.55 kg ganja, 105390 capsules, 17506 injections, and 32110 tablets were seized in Uttarakhand in the year 2022. Additionally, 141.5 acres of cannabis and 108.5 acres of hemp crops were destroyed.
This year till May 2023, 586 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act in which 742 accused have been arrested. To break the supply chain of drugs in Uttarakhand, the Chief Minister has instructed the police department to take immediate action against the criminals and drug mafia involved in drug trading.
“The officers should develop a work culture of taking ownership to get the work done instead of being limited to mere meetings. It is the duty of the officers as well as the service of humanity,” he said. CM Dhami has also given instructions to work seriously on the action plan for sending officers and jawans of the Uttarakhand Police Department to Narcotics Control Bureaus for deputation and training.
Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar, Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Narcotics Control Bureau and high officials of the Uttarakhand Government were present in the meeting. It was the fourth state-level meeting of NCORD (State Level Narcotics Coordination Meeting) at the Secretariat. Uttarakhand Social Welfare Department informed that Srinagar, Uttarkashi, Champawat and Almora had been selected by the Government of India for Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATF). Under this, treatment assistance is provided in government hospitals/health centres for the treatment of side effects of drugs.
At present, 43 private drug de-addiction centres are operated in the state through personal efforts.
