Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Feb 16: District Magistrate, Samba, Anuradha Gupta today chaired a meeting of the District-level NARCO Coordination Committee of (NCORD) to review the measures taken by the enforcement agencies to curb the drug abuse and narcotics trade in the district.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Senior Superintendent of Police Benam Tosh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Dubey, Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Manu Hansa; SDM Vijaypur Vinay Kumar, SDM Ghagwal Ramkesh Sharma, ACD Sidharath Dhiman; Commandants BSF, SDPOs, SHOs, DIO, CMO, AC Drug, tehsildars, CEO, and other concerned officers.
Discussing action taken to curb the drug abuse and narcotic trade in the district by implementing decisions and directions passed in previous meetings, it was informed that surprise inspections of 46 chemists shops were conducted out of which 11 licenses have been suspended for flouting norms.
SSP Samba informed that in a major crackdown on smugglers, 08 interstate drug peddlers have been nabbed including 03 women. He further added that more stringent measures will be taken for ensuring a drug trafficking free district.
During the meeting, the DM directed the CMO to compile a database of persons indulged in drug addiction to facilitate them for their medical treatment and recovery to save their precious lives.
The DM also sought ATR from all stakeholder departments about the measures taken by them to control the drug menace.
The DM directed the Information Department and all other stakeholders to launch a massive awareness campaign on print, electronic and social media about the fallout of drug abuse. She also appealed to parents of teenagers’ and young children to keep watch on their children to prevent them from drug addiction.
During the meeting threadbare discussion was held on incidence of drug addiction, areas of concern and hotspots of drug use and action taken by the concerned departments with regard to curb the menace of drugs.
The DM suggested a string of measures and asked the stakeholder departments and institutions to work in close coordination at all levels to combat drug trafficking. The Health and Drug control departments were asked to intensify inspection of chemist shops, health centres and courier service centres to restrict illegal transport, sale and distribution of psychotropic drug and other banned substances in the district.