Anti-drug commandoes must to fight mafia in Himachal: Ex-NCB official

Mandi, March 5

Former Narcotics Control Bureau officer and former HP Nasha Nivaran Board advisor OP Sharma today said like in the neighbouring states, youth of Himachal Pradesh were rapidly falling prey to drugs.

To stop this, the government and society would have to make collective efforts, he added.

Addressing mediapersons here, he said to break free from the drug trap in the state, around 250 trained officers and employees were required to strengthen the state Anti-Narcotics Task Force.

They would have to be given commando training in order to be prepared to take on the drug mafia, he added.

He added that no part of the state had remained untouched by drug addiction. Apart from cannabis and opium, the younger generation was getting addicted to heroin and other deadly drugs, Sharma said. He said the integrated drug prevention policy that was made during his tenure as an advisor to the board could not be implemented. In a small state like Himachal Pradesh, the heroin drug business had increased so much that it would ruin the coming generations, he added.

Sharma said heroin worth Rs 4-8 crore was being sold in Mandi city alone. In Sundernagar, the situation was worse as narcotics worth Rs 3 crore were sold within 15 minutes, he added.

In the coming days, another drug was going to be introduced in the area, one that is 50-100 times more deadly than heroin, he claimed.

The drug network had become so widespread that drugs were being supplied to the homes of addicts, he added.

“However, the police is working at its level and big cases are also coming to light. A collective fight will have to be fought against drug abuse by making the entire society aware. An anti-drug addiction campaign should be implemented on mission mode,” he said.

He said the government did not have any data on how dire the situation was in the state. No survey of this had been done, he added.

According to a rough estimate, around one lakh families in the state were struggling with the problem of drug addiction, he said. “Becoming addicted to drugs at a young age is causing mental health problems among the youth,” Sharma said, adding that the Nasha Nivaran Board constituted by the previous government had been closed. Funding for drug prevention had also stopped, according to him.

Sharma said, “The condition of drug de-addiction centres is also not good. Patients are beaten there. Drugs are even supplied at many places. This is not the work of the police alone to check drug abuse, we all have to be alert about it.”

Drug addiction had become a global problem, which was prevalent in many places including China and America. Same was happening in the state too, he said, adding that there was an urgent need to check the drug trade in the state.

‘Rehabs in poor condition’

The condition of drug de-addiction centres is not good. Patients are beaten there, and drugs are supplied at many places. This is not the work of the police alone to check drug abuse, we all have to be alert about it. — OP Sharma , former advisor, hp nasha nivaran board