Page 31 - Tehelka Issue 14E

CoverStory DRUG MENACE

prized hashish, a purified resinous extract of can- in the state as foreigners, locals and now smugglers Superintendent of Police. The forest officials to patrol
nabis which is known as “Malana Cream” among the from other states of the country resorting to barter in their respective jurisdiction and report the illegal
people involved in its illegal business. McLeodganj of synthetic drugs for hashish or marijuana. It is an cultivation in their beat to the police.
and its surrounding areas in Kangra district are the open secret that marijuana and hashish have been According to Mardi ,once illegal cultivation is de-
other epicentres of the illegal narcotics trade in the grown, consumed and smuggled out of Himachal tected, a joint campaign will be launched to destroy
state. Sadyal said, “Alternative farming (cultivation of for decades. Now, the drug mafia has grown to an such cultivation by involving all stakeholders, en-
exotic vegetables and flowers) is the only way of con- enormous size and the influx of synthetic drugs and forcement agencies such as police, NCB, SNCB, CID
trolling poppy and cannabis cultivation.” abuse of pharmaceutical drugs pose a big challenge, and departments of Forests, Revenue, Panchayati Raj
A report published recenlty said that “state was the report said. and Rural Development. “These agencies will submit
earlier known for drugs like marijuana which was Himachal Watcher, an NGO in its recent report a progress report on poppy, opium and cannabis de-
said that sadly, far more struction before August 15, 2018. All SPs will associate
than its outstanding geog- with Mahila Mandals, Yuvak Mandals and other NGOs
raphy, people and culture, while conducting the destruction of opium poppy and
the tourist influx reveals cannabis crops,” he added.
a deadly narcotic nexus. He told that Agriculture and Horticulture depart-
An increasing number of ments in coordination with Rural Development
localities are falling prey department jointly will submit a proposal to adopt
to this business and ad- alternative cash crops suitable for areas cultivating
diction. The representa- opium poppy and cannabis illegally. Training module
tives of Bombay Hemp for Nodal training Officers of Education department
Company had in October to sensitise students on drug abuse will be prepared.
2017 called on Governor During PTA and SMC meetings, parents of students
Devvrat at Rajbhawan and will also be sensitised on this issue. He said that coun- HIMACHAL WOMEN LEAD
gave a presentation on uti- selling sessions are also being organised once in a
lising Industrial Hemp as a week in educational institutions on drug abuse. “The HEMP DESTROY CAMPAIGN
strategic asset devoted to major objective of such counselling is to reach the
a reformation of agricul- supplier of drugs through students,” he added.
ture and boosting its role The state police chief said that all shops/dhabas Himachal women have played a crucial role
in the economy along - located near educational institutions be kept under in the Bhang Ukhado Abhiyan (Hemp Destroy
with uplifting socio-eco- strict surveillance and their inspection be carried out Campaign). More than 80 Mahila Mandals in the
nomic standards of local time to time and suspicious activities around these in- state are involved in this campaign. Kamla Devi,
farmers. “The genetically stitutions will be informed to the police. Public Rela-
modified hemp will pos- tions Department will run a massive awareness pro- member of Mahila Mandal in Kullu district said
sess only 0.3 to 1 per cent gramme through different methodologies including that women are the most effected community
potency as compared to 3 street plays on the ill effects of drug abuse. However, in the society due to increasing narcotics
to 4 per cent found in the street play team of Ist IRBn Bangarh Una has already habit among the men and male youth. She
currently cultivated plant. set into action. The health department will share pub- said that once caught in the habit of drugs,
Apparently, these plants licity material of drug abuse on 104 helplines with Ed- their husbands or sons stop taking care of the
People join hands will be of no use to the ucation and Public Relations departments for further
against drugs drug users”. dissemination among the public. families. “yeh log apne liye nashe ka jugaad
abuse The State Health Department has also started a karne men lage rehte hain. unkee sehat ka
Action plan De-Addiction Programme, as one of the main com- bhee isse satyanash ho gaya hai and isse ham
A comprehensive destruc- ponent of Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakram mahilaaon par ghar chalane ka baujh bad gaya
tion campaign against (RKSK). Under this programme, de-addiction centres hai (The men keep busy in managing drugs for
grown in the hills and consumed by foreigners, how- the cultivation of opium poppy has been launched have been made functional in all regional and zonal them and do not take care of family problems.
ever, now the availability of synthetic drugs and en- from April 15 in all the districts of the state. Giving hospitals of the state. One clinical psychologists and
try of notorious chitta (heroine) has become a cause details of the action plan being undertaken during one medical social worker are appointed in all these This have also destroyed their health and hence
of concern for the state’s law enforcing agencies. the campaign, the Director General of Police, Sita Centres. These clinical psychologists and medical so- we women have to take all the work load),
Apart from these, MDMA commonly known as ec- Ram Mardi, informed that all revenue and forest cial workers are also imparted training for this job at she added. Another member Satyawati from
stasy and liquid lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), are officials, elected representatives of Panchayati Raj National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sci- Sirmaur district said that women are actively
also in circulation and the youngsters are hooked to a bodies, and urban local bodies are duty bound under ences (NIMHANS), Bangaluru. These Counsellors also participating the Bhang Ukhado Abhiyan. This
whole lot of pharmaceutical drugs like cough syrups, section 47 of NDPS Act, 1985, to inform police about conduct at least four field visits in a month in different has helped the police to destroy hemp in the
anti-depressants and sleep-inducing pills which are the illegal cultivation of cannabis and opium-poppy institutions for IEC activities.
affordable on account of their low cost”. Drug smug- in their respective area of jurisdiction. They will give remote areas of Kullu. Yuvak Mandals are also
gling has now become a multi-dimensional problem the information in writing to concerned SHO and to LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM been roped in for the job.

TEHELKA / 31 JULY 2018 30 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 31 JULY 2018 31 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

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