DW BUREAU / CHANDIGARH

Haryana Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad on Monday directed all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to launch a month-long state-wide campaign against drug menace. Presiding over a state-level committee meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) here, he called for coordinated efforts of civil and police administration, health, social welfare and education departments for the success of the campaign.

He asked the DCs and SPs to tighten the noose around those involved in drug peddling in the state. All the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police attended the meeting through video conference, an official statement said.

The Chief Secretary directed the senior civil and police functionaries to diligently discharge their duties towards achieving the State Government's vision of making Haryana drug-free.

Emphasizing the need to further strengthen the system to gather information, he directed the Deputy Commissioners to hold regular meetings with the heads of educational institutions to protect the youth from falling into the clutches of drugs.

Prasad directed that the Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) carry out surprise inspections at the drug de-addiction centres in their respective districts.

He also announced a working group, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) Department, G Anupama, should be formed to maintain coordination with all stakeholder departments and to ensure effective implementation of various programmes against the drug menace.

In the meeting, the officials informed Prasad that between January and June, as many as 1,653 cases had been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and 2,196 people had been arrested.

Additionally, 428 persons have been convicted in NDPS cases, and eight orders of preventive detention have been passed under PIT-NDPS Act.

Apart from this, 12 kg heroin, 69 kg charas, 3440 kg 'ganja' (cannabis), 130 kg opium, 6,616 kg poppy straw and 1,64,790 pharmaceutical drugs have also been seized during this period, the statement read.

Also, action has been taken against 102 habitual offenders and crime proceeds valued at Rs 48.34 crore confiscated, the statement said.

The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has sanctioned 14 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) to be established at various district hospitals across Haryana, the officials informed Prasad in the meeting.

Two of the ATFs have already been set up in Bahadurgarh district Jhajjar and Tohana district Fatehabad under this scheme.

They further said that monthly visits by District Mental Health Teams to schools, colleges, and jails are being conducted to spread awareness.

The Haryana Prisons Department, under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction, has successfully established and operated 15 drug de-addiction centres across 15 jails in Haryana over the past year. These centres have made significant strides in addressing drug addiction among inmates, the statement said.

A committee has been constituted to develop a periodic rating system for drug de-addiction centres in the state. The rating system has been formulated and is under approval, it said.

Officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health Department are deliberating on various apps and measures to track drug addicts undergoing treatment.

"The PRAYAS and SATHI apps are being updated to include tracking details. Additionally, the Health Department of Punjab's Drug De-addiction Registry Portal is also being studied for potential adoption," it further said.
(editor@dailyworld.in)