Guj varsity to help Ladakh curb drug menace

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Jammu, April 30

Ladakh is in talks with National Forensic Science University, Gujarat, to tackle the drug menace which is marking its presence in the cold desert region with the advent of tourist season. Umang Narula, adviser to Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur, chaired the first state-level meeting of the narco coordination centre wherein ADGP SS Khandare apprised him that the department was in consultation with the Gujarat varsity for recruiting manpower and procuring specialised equipment for combating trafficking and the use of drugs.

Awareness drive at schools, colleges

• Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur says an awareness campaign in schools and colleges holds utmost importance.
• NCB Deputy DG Gyaneshwar Singh informs that drug users’ count has increased seven times during 2004-2019.

He added that a dedicated canine squad was also in place to detect drugs.

The narco coordination centre (NCORD) is a mechanism for effective coordination among all the drug enforcement agencies and other stakeholders, and also to provide a common platform for discussions on drug-trafficking-related issues.

Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh gave a comprehensive presentation on ‘NCORD Mechanism’ and the current drug scenario. He informed the meeting that the number of drug users in India had increased by seven times during the 2004-2019 period.

While taking stock of the drug abuse cases and trafficking scenario in Ladakh, the adviser stated that mass awareness campaigns in schools and colleges were of utmost importance as the drug menace mostly affected children and adolescents. He also deliberated on the requirement of counselling centres, rehabilitation and drug de-addiction centres and reiterated that drug users should be treated as victims who needed rehabilitation, and not as criminals.

Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Pawan Kotwal stressed the need for hiring experts to deal with substance abuse disorder on grassroots level.