War on drugs intensifies in J&K

Srinagar, Aug 18: Jammu and Kashmir has ramped up its efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking, with authorities reporting significant progress over the past 18 months.

This aggressive campaign has yielded substantial results, but officials acknowledge that the battle is far from over.

According to an official document, since 2023, J&K Police registered 3190 cases related to the illegal narcotics trade, resulting in 4536 arrests.

In a bold move against drug kingpins, authorities invoked the PIT NDPS Act, issuing 463 detention orders.

“Our approach is uncompromising. We are targeting the entire supply chain, from street-level dealers to major traffickers,” said a senior official. Drug seizures have been particularly impressive.

In 2023, law enforcement conducted 319 commercial quantity seizures, followed by 110 more in the first half of 2024.

To prevent pilferage, authorities implemented court-ordered incineration of seized substances.

In 2023 alone, 29,306 kg of drugs and 74,179 pharmaceuticals were destroyed.

The first half of 2024 saw the destruction of an additional 4365 kg of drugs and 26,772 pharmaceuticals.

Law enforcement agencies also took decisive action against illegal cultivation.

In 2023, poppy and cannabis crops were destroyed over 9448 kanal of land (approximately 1181 acres).

“We are not just focusing on distribution networks by targeting illegal cultivation. We are striking at the very root of the problem,” said an official of the Excise Department.

The Excise Department and district authorities are actively monitoring land use to prevent contraband cultivation, utilising satellite imagery, and ground-level intelligence.

The J&K government’s approach is multi-faceted, encompassing prevention, enforcement, treatment, rehabilitation, and awareness.

The Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), chaired by the Chief Secretary, oversees these efforts.

At the district level, 193 NCORD meetings were held in 2023 to improve inter-agency coordination.

To tighten control over pharmaceutical sales, authorities have introduced a Computerised Billing System and mandated CCTV installations in drug markets.

The government has also implemented a zero-tolerance policy against government employees involved in drug trafficking.

J&K has significantly expanded its rehabilitation infrastructure, now operating 41 centres across various departments and private sectors.

In 2023, these facilities provided 14,180 OPD and 1,931 IPD treatments.

The first half of 2024 has already seen 5318 OPD and 561 IPD treatments.

On the awareness front, the administration organised 19,008 programmes in 2023.

The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) has been instrumental, with 940 Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) declared drug-free.

"Community involvement is the key," said Noor Jahan, a social worker involved in grassroots awareness programmes. “We are seeing a shift in attitudes, with more people willing to talk about addiction and seek help.”

Despite these efforts, the magnitude of substance abuse in J&K remains staggering.

A 2018 national survey revealed that over 14.09 lakh people aged between 10 and 75 in the region were using various psychoactive substances.

This includes approximately 5.4 lakh abusing opioids, 4.20 lakh using alcohol, 1.4 lakh consuming cannabis, and 1.35 lakh inhaling substances.