Drug de-addiction & rehabilitation centre inaugurated in Sopore
Sopore, Feb 16: In a significant move aimed at curbing the growing menace of drug abuse in North Kashmir, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, on Monday inaugurated a much-awaited Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in Sopore town.
The centre has been established at the Bus Stand Sopore with an estimated cost of Rs 44 lakh, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the residents of Sopore and its adjoining areas. The facility is expected to provide comprehensive treatment, rehabilitation, and counselling services to individuals battling substance abuse, offering much-needed relief to affected families.
Addressing the gathering during the inauguration ceremony, the Deputy Commissioner emphasized the administration’s commitment to tackling the drug menace at multiple levels. “Those affected by drug addiction and in need of rehabilitation and counselling can visit the centre and register themselves. We are committed to providing complete treatment facilities, including IPD services and all necessary medical and psychological support,” he stated.
The newly inaugurated centre currently has a capacity of six beds, with officials indicating that expansion plans are in place to enhance its intake capacity in the near future, depending on the requirement and response. Notably, this is the second such rehabilitation facility in Baramulla district, after the centre already functioning in Baramulla town, marking a progressive expansion of healthcare infrastructure in the district.
Several senior officers were present on the occasion, including ADC Sopore SA Raina , SSP Sopore Iftkhar Talib , ACD Baramulla Mudasir Choudhary, Tehsildar Sopore Sheikh Tariq, CMO Baramulla, District Social Welfare Officer Baramulla, BMO Sopore, and other concerned officials.
Members of civil society, trade bodies, and local residents welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely and crucial intervention. They noted that the absence of a local rehabilitation facility had caused immense hardship for families of drug-affected youth, who earlier had to travel outside the town for treatment and counselling services.
