Chandigarh, March 7, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
In a bid to continue crackdown against drugs, the Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister (CPSCM) Suresh Kumar asked all the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to further intensify their efforts to eliminate the scourage of drug menace from the state.
Chairing a high level meeting through video conferencing here, Suresh Kumar directed to strengthen and reenergise Buddy Groups and DAPOs to create awareness about ill affects of drugs amongst the addicts. He also emphasized the significance of personal contact with affected persons and visits to high risk areas.
Regarding the attacks on STF, Kumar said that these unfortunate incidents pointed to a desperation being shown by traffickers and asked the district police to take strict measures to prevent such recurrence.
The CPSCM also underlined the need to make concerted efforts to ensure that addicts do not relapse after treatment. He further asked to increase the frequency of inspections of Medical shops against illegal sticking of Scheduled Drugs. Kumar also asked the DCs and SSPs to strongly contest bail applications filed by drug dealers. He also directed the SSPs to speed up attachment of properties of drug dealers as per law as a strong deterrent to desist others from indulging in such malpractices.
Taking part in the deliberations, DGP Dinkar Gupta said that backbone of the drug mafia had been broken and drugs are no longer freely available in the state. Gupta informed that record heroin seizures of about Rs. 464 Kg in 2019 is the largest ever recovery of any single year. He said steady increase in herion seizures since March, 2017, which has jumped five times between 2016 (19 Kg) and 2019 (464 Kg). Likewise, DGP also stated that Heroin seizures increased from (19 Kg) 2016 to (207 Kg) 2017 (410 Kg) 2018 and (464 Kg) in 2019. Large quantities of other drugs have also being seized.
Over 180 ‘big fish’ (major drug smugglers) of Heroin with quantity 2 Kg and above have arrested in last year. Property worth Rs. 67 crore have been forfeited in last three years. Subsequently, drug related deaths have also come down to 47 in 2019 from 114 in 2018, added Dinkar Gupta.
On the recovery of huge quantity of drugs and narcotics, Gupta informed in the meeting that 35,500 cases has been registered under NDPS Act with arrest of 44,500 persons and 11,000 drug smugglers/peddlers were lodged in different jails across the state. Besides, 1100 Kg of heroin has been seized, 380 Kg of Smack and charas, 1500 Kg of opium and 1,30,000 Kgs of Poppy husk during different operations across the State
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioners also appreciated the role of Guardians of Governance (GoG) in effectively checking the menace of drug abuse.
It was also informed in the meeting that from April 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 Ludhiana District had conducted more than 4000 inspection of Chemist Shops. Whereas, Sangrur district registered 19 cases against unlicensed medical shops. Besides, more than 30,000 public meetings/rallies/lectures/processions/etc for generating awareness drives were organized in Tarn Taran to motivate the addicts to refrain from drugs.
Nearly, over 3 lakh persons were contacted by DAPOs in Hoshiarpur district. Likewise DAPOs also contacted more than 35000 drug addicts in Barnala district. With the counseling of DAPOs more than 16000 persons were sent to the nearest OOAT/Drug De-Addiction Centres in Amritsar district. Nearly One lakh activities were held under Buddy Program in Ludhiana district.
It was also revealed in the meeting that Heroin including Smack and Pharmaceutical Drugs constituted more than 65% of drug related cases registered in the state. Tarn Taran district police alone registered highest number of 963 cases of Heroin and arrested 1304 persons followed by Ludhiana Police Commissionerate. The Courts garnered bail in only 15 Commercial quantity cases in 2019 as opposed to 152 cases where bail was granted in 2018.
As many as 158 proclaimed offenders of drug cases were arrested last year and 547 absconders related to drug cases were arrested last year. 50 properties of drug dealers valued at Rs. 38 crore were attached and Tarn Taran District led with 19 cases valued at Rs. 28 crore. Conviction Rate in cases registered by STF was 100% followed by Ludhiana Rural Police at 92%.
On the drug de-addiction and rehabilitation front, over 1.20 lakh drug addicts were registered for regular treatment OOAT clinics. Out of over 3.5 lakhs persons treated, 2.15 lakh were treated in de-addiction centres 1.04 lakh in OOAT Centres and 29,156 in Rehabilitation Centres.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included; ACS Home Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Anurag Aggarwal, Principal Secretary to CM Tejveer Singh, STF Chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu and Nodal Officer Drug Prevention Rahul Tiwari.
