Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has issued necessary direction to Secretary, Home to examine and place the matter regarding necessary amendments in Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, specifically in section 18 of the Act and its sub sections so that it could be brought under the schedule of Cognizable and Non-Bailable offence.The issue was raised by Vice-Chairman, State Forest Corporation, Kewal Singh Pathania, here today. He pleaded that it has been often observed that the people who were detained in the illegal business of sale and purchase of synthetic drugs go scot-free without any stringent measure due to existing provision of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.Discussing the issue with the Chief Minister, Kewal Singh Pathania said that the police can’t raid the chemist shops which were involved in nefarious act of drug pedaling without presence of Drug Inspector. As in absence of Drug Inspector at the time of raid, such chemists escape from the clutches of law.
He said that ‘Addiction Free Youth’ (AFY) organization had been formed in Shahpur, in district Kangra, comprising of 1500 youth to sensitize people regarding the ill effects of drugs and to co-operate in getting the peddlers trapped. He said that a campaign had been started in all 54 Panchayats in Shahpur and till now, seven panchayats had been covered under this.Annoyance was increasing amongst the people as few drug peddlers were luring school kids and even the college going students were the soft targets of such people. He said that evident from the figures Proxyvon Plus, Proxyvon Spas, Codeine Phosphate (cough syrups) and similar drugs were easily available in the market without any strict control over the chemists and the people involved in the business.He said that since massive campaign had been launched in Kangra district and more such youth wings were to be formed to supplement the cause to completely root the evil from the society.MLA Pawan Kajal, Deputy Chairman, Planning Board, G.R Musafir, Chairman, State Pollution Control Board, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, Chairman, Resource Mobilization and Employment Generation, Harshvardhan Chauhan also supported the cause and said that necessary amendments in the Act were necessary to control the Drug Mafia and tighten the noose around those Chemist involved in drug trade of synthetic drugs.