Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law & Justice, Abdul Haq while replying, on behalf of Home Minister, to a Calling Attention Notice of Surinder Kumar Choudhary today informed that 400 cases in connection with sale of various types of Narcotics in different districts of the State were registered in the year 2014. He said, accordingly, 355 challans, 533 arrests, 504 prosecutions were made and 6 persons were convicted. Similarly, 540 cases were registered in 2015 and 393 cases challaned, 755 persons arrested, 557 persons prosecuted and 6 persons convicted.Mr. Haq informed that during the current year up to ending April 2016, 248 cases have been registered, of which 115 cases have been challaned and on 10th of May 2016, 38 persons were taken under preventive detention, in terms of provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1988.
The Minister said that a number of measures have been taken to tackle the menace of narcotics use in the state.These include laying of nakas, conduct of frequent raids and surprise checks to nab the persons involved in smuggling of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.Awareness programmes/seminars/rallies & other activities are being organized at district level by the Departments of School Education and Social Welfare and NGOs highlighting the ill effects of consumption of the drugs, he added.
Elaborating further about measures taken by the Government for de-addiction, the Minister said that 4 Drug De-addiction Centres have been established at Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag and Baramulla by the Police Department where counseling and treatment is given to the addicted persons, saying that wide publicity has been made among the general public about these centers.Abdul Haq informed that a State Level Apex Committee has been constituted to eliminate the menace of cultivation of narcotic substances and drug trafficking from the State, adding that District/SDM/Tehsil level Committees consisting of Members from different departments have been constituted to check the menace of drug trafficking, drug addiction and cultivation of opium/Poppy Bhang etc. in Jammu division.
The Minister informed that the sale and purchase of intoxicating drugs by the Chemists in the market is being monitored by the Drug & Food Control Organization. He said the Home Department has also constituted a State Reward Committee to consider and sanction reward amount for seizure of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Necessary precautions by way of conducting patrolling around Schools/Colleges are being taken by District Police to check the use of drugs and Cultivation of cannabis/ poppy is being destroyed by Police/ concerned authorities regularly and persons involved are being booked under relevant law, the Minister added.