The Haryana Government has decided to implement a comprehensive action plan to deal with the menace of drug abuse in the State.
Haryana Health and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij on Friday said that educative and preventive methods would be adopted to save the youth of the State from falling victims to drug menace. Besides, strict action would be taken against those who despite the efforts of Government were found involved in any way in drugs.
Vij said that the State Government would do every possible effort to keep the youth away from drugs. Under this, the youth would be counseled and provided free of cost treatment. Despite the efforts of Government, if anybody found involved in drug business, then strict action would be taken against those.
For this purpose, a State level Coordination Committee is being constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Director General of Police and at district level, committees are being constituted under the chairmanship of concerned Deputy Commissioner. Monthly meeting of these committees would be conducted to review the latest situation, he added.
The Minister said that a policy for youth would also be formulated to keep the youth free from drugs, which would include schemes for the development of youth. Under this, youth would be inspired to adopt skill development, social welfare, sports and yoga training programmes and cultural activities depending on their interest so as to channelise their energy in right direction and to contribute in over all development of the society.
Education Department, non-government organisations and other social organisations would also be involved to make the youth aware about harmful effects of drugs, he said.
Vij further said that an effective system would be put into place for the drug addicts to shun addiction. For this purpose, de-addiction centres would be opened in all districts and the exiting centres would be made more active and functional. Besides this, help for de-addiction would be provided in the civil hospitals of the state.
To keep people away from drugs, the Health Department would soon
select civil hospitals for establishing de-addiction centres.
The Police Department and Excise and Taxation Department would take strict action against those involved in illegal selling of liquor and smuggling of drugs. And, a facility of SMS would also be made available to people for giving information about any person involved in drugs trade or consumption in their nearby areas by keeping their identity anonymous, added the Minister.
Notably, Haryana has registered 743 cases of drug trafficking this year till October, as per the Narcotics Control Bureau. last year, 840 such cases were registered under NDPS Act while in 2013, 843 cases of drug trafficking were registered in the state.
Till October this year, the Police have seized1159.91 kg poppy husk, 2184.08 kg poppy straw, 303.26 kg Ganja, 626.87 kg Hashish, 4.70 kg heroin, 90.93 kg opium, 297 kg tablets of all types, 13.78 kg of other manufactured drugs, from various districts of the state, as per NCB.
In the previous year 2014, 1032.87 kg of Ganja, 4.35 kg of heroin, 14383.34 kg of poppy husk and poppy straw, 42.54 kg of opium were seized by the Police during its operation across the state against drug peddlers.