‘Adopt zero tolerance policy against drugs to save youth from its ill-effects in Srinagar’

Srinagar, Jan 30: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat Tuesday chaired a District Level meeting on Prevention of Drug Abuse & Narcotics Trade (NCORD) here.
The meeting was held to review the measures taken by Law Enforcement Agencies and other Stakeholders to curb the menace of drug abuse and drug peddling in Srinagar District.
At the outset, the DC took a detailed appraisal from concerned members of NCORD Committee regarding implementation of the deterrence measures taken and progress achieved to eliminate drug abuse and its peddling from the Srinagar District. He also reviewed the present scenario of drug related occurrences, treatment facilities for victims of substance abuse and rehabilitation measures taken by Administration, besides anti-drugs awareness campaign and drug deterrence measures in place in Srinagar District.

On the occasion, the DC said menace of Drugs is non-negotiable and stressed on adopting zero tolerance against the drug abuse. He also called the members of NCORD Committee to keep vigil on vulnerable places to prevent spread of drugs.

The DC called for attacking the societal issue of drug menace from both supply and demand sides to contain the drug peddling and break the supply chain. He also stressed upon the Officers of all the line Departments to further intensify the deterrence measures to control the harmful effects of drug menace so that youth is discouraged from tempting towards drugs.

The DC also urged the concerned to intensify the IEC campaign for awareness of target groups. He stressed on engaging proper resource persons/experts in seminars so that the target group is educated about the harmful effects of the substance abuse in an impactful manner.
The DC asked the all stakeholder Departments to further strengthen the intelligence network by keeping proper vigil around suspected hotspots to crack whip on the menace of drugs in District.

The DC laid emphasis on maintaining a proper database of the victims of the substance abuse particularly at Drug De-addiction Centres and Addiction Treatment Facility centres in order to ensure their follow-up and rehabilitation measures.

Earlier, the DC was given feedback by the members of the Committee including Superintendent of Police, Incharge Drug De-addiction Centre SMHS Hospital, Incharge ATF, SKIMS Bemina, Deputy Drug Controller and other enforcement agencies, who presented the latest report related to action taken against drug addiction and drug trafficking in Srinagar District.

The Superintendent of Police apprised the meeting that as many as 107 cases have been registered in Srinagar District during current year and 186 drug peddlers have been arrested (including 16 PITs and 2 PSA). In addition, huge quantity Contra Band substance were also seized/recovered including 108.52 gms of brown sugar, 17.07 kgs Heroin, 11.81 Kgs of Charas, 19.5 Kgs of Fuki, 1361 PSY syrup bottles, 41812 PSY capsules/tablets, besides illicit cultivation of 11.46 Kgs Ganja, 2.16 quintals of bang/poppy straw/cannabises were destroyed, in addition, to the cash recovery of Rs 26.46 lakh from the drug peddlers.

Similarly, the DC was informed that the Excise Department has destroyed wild bang spread over 350 kanals of land in Srinagar District, besides illicit poppy cultivation over 12.5 kanals of land during the current year. In addition, several awareness programmes regarding Narcotic Crops/Drug Abuse were also conducted.