NDPS cases on rise, no rehab centre in Karnal

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 28

On an average, one case under the NDPS Act is reported every two days, but Karnal does not have a de-addiction centre.

Instead, drug addicts —though small in number — are treated at a government-run psychiatry ward in Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital (KCGMCH). Addicts don’t want to get treated with psychiatric patients.

Ever since the ward opened in March 2017, only 125 addicts have got treatment here. When a team of The Tribune visited the ward, it found only two addicts.

The local Civil Hospital, which opened seven months ago, still lacks a de-addiction centre. “We do not have any specialist. As a result, a de-addiction centre cannot be opened in the Civil Hospital,” Civil Surgeon Dr Ashwini Ahuja said.

Even the Red Cross Society could not establish a centre so far.

Deputy Commissioner Aditya Dahiya said, “The Red Cross Society has planned to establish a centre. In the next annual meeting scheduled for September, we will pass a resolution for a centre. It will be set up in four to five months.” He said he would review cases related to the NDPS Act.

The data shows that 282 persons were arrested in 244 cases registered under the NDPS Act in 2017. From them, the police had recovered 2.82 kg of opium, 2.102 kg of “charas”, 0.98 gm of smack, 594 kg of poppy husk and 124 kg of ganja.

This year so far, the police seized 9.77 kg of opium, 0.469 gm of “charas”, 361 kg of poppy husk and 90 kg of “ganja” from 164 persons in 148 cases registered under the NDPS Act.

Superintendent of Police Surinder Singh Bhoria admitted to the local consumption of durgs and said most of drugs seized in the district were to be smuggled to other districts.