Government on Saturday said that there has been an increase in registration of cased related to drug addiction in last year compared to 2016.
“There has been an increase in registration of cased related to drug addiction in the year 2017 as compared to the year 2016,” Chief Minister Mehbooba Muft who is also holding charge of home department said while replying to a written question by a legislator Rajesh Gupta.
No political link has been found in boosting the drug menace across the State. However, with regard to Cross border links, one case of Narcotics haul has been reported in Kashmir Zone during the last year when a truck carrying goods from PoK was found to have concealed 66.5Kgs of contraband brown sugar and cognizance of the matter was taken and FIR No. 542017 U/S 8/21, 29 NDPS act was registered in Police Station Uri and the case was charge- sheeted in the competent court of law on 23/11/2017, Mehbooba said.
A number of measures have been taken to tackle the menace of narcotics use, in the State and inter-alia, include conduct of frequent raids, laying of Nakas and surprise checks to nab the persons involved in smuggling of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
“Strict implementation of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and rules made there under.”
Other measures include holding of Police Community Public Group (PCPG) meetings to brief/educate the participants about the harmful effects of these drugs; launching of anti-drug drives and distribution of printing material to generate awareness amongst the public; organizing anti-drug rallies, sports meets etc; youth clubs and Gym Centers have been established with internet facility to channelize the energy of youth in positive and nation building activities; the sale/purchase of intoxicating drugs by the Chemists in the market is being monitored by the Drug & food Control Organization; necessary precautions by way of conducting patrolling around Schools / Colleges are being taken by District police to check the use of drugs.
Cultivation of cannabis/ poppy is being destroyed by Police / concerned authorities regularly and persons involved are being booked under relevant law.
“Under Civic Action programme (CAP), 09 Drug-De-addiction Centres have been established, at Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag, Baramulla, Kathus, Poonch, Doda, Budgam and Udhampur.”
The government said the statutory control over narcotic drugs was exercised in the country through a number of Central and State enactments. “A comprehensive legislation, The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, was enacted on 16th September, 1985. The narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act prohibits, except for medical and scientific purpose, use, consumption, import inter-state, export inter-state, import into India, export from India, or trans-shipment of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.”
For the effective prevention of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and to provide for detection of persons connected with it, the government said, the State of J&K has enacted a legislation, “The Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988”. Section 3 of the said Act, confers power to make orders for detention of certain persons. “The power to make orders for detention of certain persons. The orders passed under the Act are required to be referred to the Advisory Board constituted under Section 9 of the Act for its opinion. A person can be detained for a maximum period of two years under the Act.”