Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 24: Jammu and Kashmir has shockingly witnessed more than 129 percent increase in the number of drug addicts admitted in the rehabilitation centres of Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) across the Union Territory, within two years since 2022.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
While a total number of 306 drug addicts were admitted in these rehabilitation centres in the year 2022, this number sharply increased to 586 in the year 2023 and 703 in the year 2024.
Thus, the number of drug addicts admitted in the hospitals increased to 91.18 percent within a year and 129.74 percent in two years, since 2022,
Information in this regard was provided in the Legislative House by Health and Medical Education Department, in reply to a question by BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma.
While the number of such drug addicts continued to increase, fully recovery of such patients was apparently zero.
Stating that the patients of drug addiction are kept on observation through regular follow up like other chronic diseases to prevent remissions/relapse, the Government said that the number of drug addicts recovered in these centres cannot be provided.
The little solace regarding drug abuse scenario in the Union Territory was the Government information claiming that a slight dip has been witnessed in the number of such patients registered in OPD (Out Patient Department) since 2022.
In the year 2022, total 9775 drug addicts were registered in OPD service of the rehabilitation centres while this number slightly decreased to 8700 in the year 2023 and 6925 in the year 2024.
There are total 20 de-addiction centres in J&K. Besides, 11 ATFs in Kashmir division and nine in Jammu division are also functional. OPD services are available in all these centres while IPD (Indoor Patient Department) facilities are established in all the nine GMCs of J&K.
Further, the Government has identified 19 private de-addiction centres in Jammu division and four in Kashmir division, which are under process for registration. These private de-addiction centres are in Kathua (10), Jammu (04), Rajouri (02), Udhampur (03) and Srinagar (04).
As per the information provided by the department, three NGOs in Jammu division and five in Kashmir division are assisting the Government in eradication of drug menace in J&K.
In reply to another question by Sham Lal Sharma regarding the regularization of land recorded as ‘Gair Mumkin Khad’, the Government has informed that the issue has been resolved and once the process of delineation is completed by the designated committee, it shall be followed by correction of revenue records and thereafter relevant rules shall be applicable so to bring such land usable as per requirement under the norms.
“The revised procedure stands already notified vide Government Order No 102-JK (Rev) of 2024 dated 02.08.2024 and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has also been issued by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu on 14.08.2024. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with domain expert i.e National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) and Survey of India is under consideration by the Jal Shakti Department,” said the Government.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
