Thakur says 3 deaths due to drugs; MLAs disagree

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 14

The issue of drug addiction in the state dominated the question house on the fifth day of the winter session of Assembly on Friday. While responding to a query from Congress MLA from Kasumpati Anirudh Singh, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that there were just three deaths due to drug addiction in the state.

The Chief Minister also said that there was no data available on percentage of population that is affected by drug addiction in the state. He informed that a total 1,085 persons had been arrested under the NDPS Act in the state in the last one year for drug peddling. Anirudh Singh contested the claim of the Chief Minister saying that the figure of just three deaths due to drugs was an understatement of facts. He said that he personally knew that about 200 youth in Shimla district who have perished due to drugs.

Sukhwinder Sukhu, Nadaun MLA, said that the Chief Minister in his statements had said that about 28 per cent population of the state was affected by problem of drugs where as in house the statement has been given that just 3 people have died due to drugs.

The Chief Minister clarified that the data presented by him in the house was based on fact and his statement was based on estimates.

On a query from Dhani Ram Shandil, minister for health informed that the numbers of caesarean operations for child birth had increased both in government and private hospitals.

On a query from BJP MLA from Indora, Rita Dhiman the Chief Minister assured the house that an inquiry would be ordered into pollution of underground water due to toxic waste being released by industrial units including M/s TCM Wiires, M/s Himachal Wires and M/s RK steels.

On a query from Congress MLA from Naina Devi, Ram Lal Thakur informed the house that the HPCA was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860 on June 8, 1990. As per the certificate of incorporation issued by registrar of companies UP and Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Players Association was registered on July 14, 2005. Both the bodies were functioning simultaneously and no case of merger is pending with the Registrar, Cooperative Societies.

On a query from Kishori Lal from Ani, the Chief Minister informed the house that detailed project report (DPR) was being prepared for bring up a tunnel under Jalori pass.

On a query from Balbir Verma, MLA Chopal, Minister for Health Vipin Parmar informed the house that the government was recruiting 100 ayurvedic doctors. A requisition for the same has been sent to Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, the minister informed.

In Chopal Assembly constituency 18 out 25 sanctioned posts of ayurvedic doctors were lying vacant, the minister said.

Anirudh, Sukhu contest Claims 

• Anirudh Singh contested the claim of the Chief Minister saying that the figure of just three deaths due to drugs was an understatement of facts. He said that he personally knew that about 200 youth in Shimla district who have perished due to drugs.
• Sukhwinder Sukhu said that the Chief Minister in his statements had said that about 28 per cent population of the state was affected by problem of drugs where as in house the statement has been given that just 3 people have died due to drugs.