BSF Director shifts onus of drug abuse on state

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Attari (Amritsar), January 26

The Director General of Border Security Force, DK Pathak, on Monday shifted the onus of drug addiction on the Punjab government by saying that it was synthetic drugs that contributed the most to drug abuse in Punjab.

He was here to participate in the culmination of a three-day programme organised by the BSF to mark the 66th Republic Day celebrations.

Speaking to the media after witnessing a high-pitched Beating the Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah joint check post here on Monday, he cited a study conducted recently by the Community Medicine Department of Rajindra Medical College, Patiala, to say that only 0.9 per cent of the addiction was attributed to heroin. The rest of the addiction was to synthetic drugs, which were generated in the country. He said the study was based on interviews of drug addicts admitted in 10 de-addiction centres.

“It is this synthetic drug that accounts for the maximum percentage of drug addiction. In fact, heroin, which is the only drug smuggled from across the International Border, accounts for only 0.9 per cent and the rest is attributed to synthetic drugs,” he said, adding that heroin was an expensive addiction and not everybody could afford it.

Answering media queries, he said in the past two years the BSF had made the “maximum seizure” of heroin due to stringent measures taken by the force. In fact, it was much more than the seizures made by all other agencies put together.

Earlier, he inaugurated battery-operated golf carts for senior citizens and infirm tourists coming to witness the Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah joint check post. He also inaugurated the huge LED screen for the tourists who did not get accommodated in the visitors’ gallery at the check post. The screen is fitted near Swarnjayanti Dwar. A cultural programme was also held by various schools and BSF jawans.