Expressing serious concern over the existing ‘drugs’ problem in Punjab, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday asked the State Government to tackle it seriously.
“It is a very serious problem and the Government should tackle it seriously,” said NHRC chairman Justice (retired) KG Balakrishnan, who was in Chandigarh with the Commission’s full bench on three-day visit since November 26 to discuss various human rights issues related to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Governments.
“This problem is more a social problem rather than belonging to only one section of the society. Hence, it can’t be dealt at the police level, or at NHRC level or we can’t blame one particular section of society for this problem,” said SC Sinha, NHRC member. NHRC has also held long discussions with the Punjab Government on the issue of drug menace in the State.
Balakrishnan said that the State Government has informed that more than 500 kg of heroine was seized besides registering 1300 cases under Narcotics Drugs Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act against various accused. Commission also suggested the State Government for proper rehabilitation of druggist in the State.
In Punjab, drug menace has emerged out to be a major issue with the ruling SAD-BJP Government facing criticism and people’s wrath. Opposition parties in the State have all along been targeting the State Government for adopting a non-serious attitude to tackle the situation.
It was only after alliance’s defeat on seven out of 13 lok Sabha seats that the State Government acted swiftly in this directions, taking slew of measures to check the growing deadly menace.
Balakrishnan stressed that the State Government should immediately find the “source” of drug and take effective steps to re-rehabilitate the victims of drugs.
On the alleged police-politician-drug mafia nexus in Punjab, Balakrishnan said that “all sections of the society are involved into it”.
Giving details regarding Commissions’ three-day visit, Sinha sid that maximum number of complaints were received from Punjab followed by Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh related to various problems in this part of the region.
“Commission received 63 complaints from Punjab and most of the complaints relate to the Police department. From Haryana, 49 complaints have been received as compared to 18 from Himachal Pradesh,” added Sinha. From Chandigarh, the Commission has received couple of complaints.
Pointing that 17 cases of ‘custodial death and police encounters have come to NHRC’s notice while taking up pending cases in meetings of full commission and division benches here, Balakrishnan said: “We have recommended the State Governments to prosecute or take disciplinary action against the guilty cops as soon as possible for custodial deaths or police encounters…if they held guilty, they should certainly be punished.”