Principal Secretary, Home, Prison and Disaster Management Department Vandana Dadel and Director General and Inspector General of Police Anurag Gupta chaired a review meeting to eradicate illegal opium cultivation and prevent misuse of prohibited narcotics at Chatra Collectorate on Tuesday.

While discussing all the pending cases related to NDPS, they reviewed all those cases (especially those pending from the year 2023 and before) and directed to dispose of those cases immediately by resolving the reasons for the delay. They especially reviewed all those cases in which large quantity or commercial quantity has been recovered.

During the meeting several instructions were given. In order to prevent illegal opium cultivation, mutual coordination should be established between the officers / personnel of the police and forest department and strict legal action should be taken as per the need.

Opium cultivation is often done in remote areas and forest land, so the cooperation of forest officials is expected.

Superintendent of Police Chatra / Hazaribagh / Ranchi / Latehar, these districts are badly affected by opium cultivation. All necessary action should be ensured for complete prevention of illegal opium cultivation in these districts.

It is often seen that the land where opium is cultivated, after its destruction, a Sanha is registered in the police station, which is not appropriate. If illegal opium cultivation is destroyed on any land, then in its light, a primary should be registered.

If any police station in-charge does not take the desired action on the information received from the special branch, then strict disciplinary action should be taken against them.

Regular verification of the accused of previously registered cases related to NDPS will be done to ensure that they are currently in jail or out on bail. While identifying these accused, ensure to get the information about the status of their current source of income. Also, if such criminals are continuously accused of NDPS related cases, their Dosiyar should be opened.

In view of illegal opium cultivation, pre-cultivation programs like holding meetings at the Gram Panchayat level, running awareness campaigns and making people aware about the ill effects of opium in schools and colleges should be ensured.

Superintendent of Police will ensure to take further action by coordinating with their respective Deputy Commissioner to establish district de-addiction centers in drug-affected districts like Chatra / Hazaribagh / Latehar etc.

Superintendent of Police Chatra / Hazaribagh / Latehar and Superintendent of Police Rural Ranchi will ensure to regularly inspect the hotels and dhabas located on the National Highway so that the hotels or dhabas are not buying and selling poisonous substances like illegal opium / brown sugar etc. Also, if any kind of evidence is found, then ensure to collect the desired information regarding the kingpin.

During this meeting Ravi Ranjan, Additional PCCF, Amol Vinukant Homkar, IG (Operations), Asim Vikant Minj, IG (Office, Investigation Department), Michael S. Raj, IG (Bokaro), Sunil Bhaskar, DIG, Hazaribagh, Kartik S. DIG, Special Branch, Amit Renu, SP, Operations, SP, Special Branch, SP, SIB and other senior police officers, DC of Chatra, BDOs, COs, all DSPs/Sis of Chatra District and Police Station Incharges of all border areas were present.