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s entry of new smugglers in the illegal drug trade ber was 2032 in 2016 and cases in Haryana. In the year 2015,
has posed a new challenge for the Punjab police, this figure was 1661 cases.
Haryana too is witnessing an alarming rise in The tell-tale symptoms in drug-affected children have
drug menace. Numerous cases of drug addicts been visible for quite some time now in the affected districts
A and smuggling are being reported in the state of the state. These include carelessness, reduced interest in
every day. It is feared that if not checked immediately, Har- studies, lack of communication, reduced physical and rec-
yana could go the Punjab way as far as drug problem is con- reational activities, constant fatigue, irritation, involvement
cerned with an entire generation getting addicted to drugs in fights, picking arguments, Involvement in illegal activities
and destroying their lives as well as that of their families. such as stealing money, sudden loss of appetite and body
It has always been a misnomer that Haryana is not af- weight; sweating and over-sleeping. It is a matter of concern
fected by the drug menace unlike its neighbour Punjab. It is that there has never been any proper research on substance
true that more cases are reported in Punjab, but such cases abuse among children and youth in Haryana.
have been on the rise in Haryana as well. Data in Haryana Rising menace in Haryana is due to its closeness to Pun-
reveals that the number of persons visiting the centre for al- jab where the drug problem is alarmingly high. The number
cohol and drug de-addiction in Rohtak PGIMS has recorded of drug addicts in Haryana is high, but the treatment facili-
a 10-fold increase during the last 10 years. ties are not so much advanced. Haryana is just waking up to
However, it is good to see Haryana government waking the drug-related issues and problems and will have to go a
up to the issue of drug prob- long way to check the growing
lem in the right time now menace.
and planning action against Drug menace: Centre for Research in Ru-
the same. Taking over ral and Industrial Develop-
charge as the Home Minis- ment (CRRID), Chandigarh,
ter of Haryana, Anil Vij has recently did a survey on drugs.
announced ‘Operation Prahar’ As many as 1,140 drug addicts
to check the drug and crime Haryana and 1,566 households in 16
mafia. districts in the north Indian
Vij ordered the Haryana states of Punjab, Haryana,
police to attack the drug, ille- goes the Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan
gal liquor, gambling, betting, and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)
extortionists and drugs with were interviewed on drug
cording to the announcement Punjab way abuse.
immediate effect. Operation
‘Prahar’ has started now. Ac-
The study looked into
the rise in drug problem.
of the new government, it is the reasons responsible for
being considered as a major Rising drug menace in the northern state There were cases of people
step towards making the state abusing hard drugs-heroin,
drug-free. threatens to tear apart social fabric, ‘chitta’ and opium banned
Haryana should learn warns rajendra khatry under the Narcotic Drugs
lerssons from Punjab. The and Psychotropic Sub-
problem of drug addiction at a stances Act were taken into
young age led to people wasting their most productive years, account while preparing the special report on drug abuse by
increased expenses on law and order and healthcare service, people in North India.
and generally it was a disadvantage to the Punjab’s economy The study on drugs abuse was titled ‘Dynamics of Drug
and society. Easy availability, peer pressure and unemploy- Addiction and Abuse in North-West India: Social, Eco-
ment are all major factors that caused this. nomic and Political Implications’. It found that 65 per cent
In Haryana, the drug problem is acute in Sirsa district of addicts living in the affected areas became drug users
bordering Punjab and Rajasthan. What is worse is that it is between the ages of 15-20, which means three out of four
not just an urban or a rural issue. It is rampant among even addicts were hooked to drugs before they were 15 years.
schoolchildren now and it is a serious threat being faced by Not just this, but as many as 10 per cent of them get into
the state. If not checked immediately, the problem can grow the habit of getting high before they turned 14, while
at an alarming level. another 18 per cent fell in the age group of 21 to 25 years.
According to the Haryana police website report, as many Incidentally another study conducted by Professor Ranjit
as 2587 drug addict cases were reported in 2018 in the state. Singh Ghuman, Dr Gurinder Kaur and Dr Jatinder Singh for
This year’s figures are yet to be calculated, but the case of drug the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) also
addicts in the state had been on the rise year after year. In the reported similar findings. According to this study more than
year 2017 as many as 2247 cases were reported and the num- 50 per cent of the drug users came from rural areas. Frustra-

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