Govt cracks the whip against drug trade

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 21

Keen to tighten the noose around those indulging in illegal narcotics trade, various law-enforcing agencies, including the police, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Health Department, will ensure strict audit of precursor and raw material being brought into the state by the pharmaceutical industry. They will also see that it is not diverted and misused to manufacture synthetic drugs.

At a joint press conference today, Chief Secretary VC Pharka and Director General of Police Sanjay Kumar said the fight against drugs and its trafficking would be possible with the joint efforts of various sections of society, including panchayats, mahila mandals and youth clubs.

“The state has moved a case to the Union Home Ministry to make amendments to Section 36 A(f) and Section 19-A the Drug and Cosmetics Act, 1940, to make the offence cognisable, non-bailable and sealing of premises where the contraband is found,” said Pharka. The increase in the number of NDPS cases from 596 in 2010 to 929 in 2016 and arrests from 734 to 1,079 indicates the crackdown on drugs.

“We have decided to ensure regular and proper audit of the raw material issued to pharmaceutical units in Baddi so as to ensure that these are not diverted and misused to make high-profile synthetic drugs,” said Pharka. The DGP said not only had the government created three separate narcotics cells headed by the DSPs, but the IGs and DIGs too had been directed to ensure special investigations focusing on the financial aspect and establishing forward and backward linkages.

Cases of Baddi and Paonta Sahib pharma units allegedly diverting raw material to enable manufacture party drugs had brought to light the lax regulatory control, which will now be taken care of. Substances like ephedrine and acetic anhydride are used for making medicines, but find route into make shift laboratories in border areas between Punjab and Himachal to be converted into high end synthetic party drugs.

Having emerged wiser and more experienced after last year’s sustained campaign to crack down on those cultivating cannabis and opium and pumping in synthetic drugs, the state government will this year undertake destruction campaign keeping in mind the climatic conditions and maturing of plants.

Pharka admitted that the use of satellite imagery had helped mapping of remote areas in Sirmaur and Chamba besides Kullu-Mandi where illegal cultivation was being done. He added that awareness campaign with the use of folk media would be done besides sensitising the youth against the ills of drug addiction.