Curbing drug trade tough task during festival

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 8

To check drug trade during Kullu Dasehra will be a major challenge for the police in the district because most of the force is busy maintaining law and order and provide security to VIPs.

Sources told The Tribune that drug peddlers considered it the best period to supply drugs.

Security is the main issue during Kullu Dasehra as a majority of the deities adorn gold and silver ornaments. However, each deity has its own kardar and he has the duty to protect it. Despite that the police have to ensure their security because their jewellery is the target of thieves.

According to sources, many drug peddlers use the camps of deities for their trade, which are under surveillance of the police.

Cannabis is being cultivated in Manikaran, Kasol, Malana, Naggar, Banjar, Kullu, Manali, Anni and Nirmand in Kullu district in an organised way. Apart from this, poppy plants are also cultivated. Charas, known as Malana cream, is in demand in local and international markets.

Gaurav Singh, SP, Kullu, said, “The police will keep a vigil on drug peddlers during the week-long Dasehra. The special teams are constituted, which will watch drug peddlers. Nakas have been set up on roads, where vehicles will be checked minutely.” “The SP also urged the public to inform the police if they find someone involved in illegal activity. The police have zero tolerance to drug abuse and efforts are on to end this menace in this district,” he added.

Cops on toes

• Peddlers considered Kullu Dasehra the best period to supply drugs
• Security is the main issue because most deities arrive in Kullu adorning gold and silver ornaments
• Special teams are constituted to keep an eye on drug peddlers
• Nakas have been set up on roads, where vehicles will be checked minutely

Another Bailey bridge to ease rush

Mandi: The Public Works Department (PWD), Kullu, has set up another Bailey bridge near the Bhootnath bridge to reduce traffic congestion in the town. It will play a crucial role in easing the traffic congestion in the town during the week-long Kullu Dasehra celebrations. The Bhootnath bridge near the Sarvari bus stand is closed to traffic since January as it has developed cracks. The bridge connects the right bank road to the left bank road near the Sarvari bus stand in Kullu town. To find out an alternative to the Bhootnath bridge until its restoration, the Kullu administration had constructed a Bailey bridge near the Bhootnath bridge before the monsoon, but it was damaged by the gushing Beas river. As a result, the connectivity between the two roads was snapped. Since then, the traffic has been moving via the Akhara bazaar in Kullu between Kullu and Manali, where road is quite narrow and incapable to handle the rush of vehicles.   Kishor Rawat, executive engineer, PWD (mechanical wing), Kullu, told The Tribune that the bridge would also help reduce the traffic jam between Sarvari to Ramshila in coming days.