Terming drugs a national problem, the second JointConference of Chief Ministers of the northern states on Thursday decided to setup a joint working group, involving officials of the Health and Social JusticeDepartments of all states, to share experiences and best practices in theirrespective campaigns against drugs.
The states expressed concern over the inflow of drugs fromPakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and other countries, and called for closercollaboration to battle the menace and make the region “Nasha Mukt”.
In a joint statement issued at the end of the conference,the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh andUttarakhand, joined by top officials from Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir andChandigarh, agreed on a series of powerful measures to eradicate the drugsscourge from the region.
These included joint operations at the inter-state borders,information sharing and implementation of the best practices of theparticipating states.
There was consensus among the states on the importance ofstrengthening the information sharing mechanism on drugs and drug dealers andsmugglers, for a more effective crackdown against them.
It was also agreed that all the states would launch majorawareness programs and strive to make eradication of drugs a peoples’ movement.
The conference recognised drugs as a national problem,requiring collective efforts of all the states for its successful eradication.
It proposed, therefore, to jointly press the Government ofIndia to come out with a National Drugs Policy in order to effectively tacklethe menace.
It agreed to consider opening of a Regional Training Centrefor Training of Investigators for proper investigation of NDPS cases atChandigarh.
The states also agreed to take up with the government ofIndia a proposal to establish a Regional Drug Dependence Treatment Centre inChandigarh Tricity area, on the lines of National Drug Dependence TreatmentCentre (NDDTC) AIIMS, New Delhi.
“We believe that these efforts will go a long way ineradicating this scourge from the region, thus protecting our youth and ourfuture generations, and ensuring a safe, secure and healthy society,” saidthe joint statement.
The states further said they were committed to”continuing and strengthening the process of consultation and cooperation,to collaborate even more closely and actively for making the region ‘NashaMukt’.”
The conference, which opened with Punjab Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh suggesting some tough measures to tackle the problem, wasattended by officials of IB, NCB and other central agencies.
Underscoring the growing threat from ISI’s narco terrorismgame-plan, Amarinder Singh said the money from the drug trade was being used byPakistan to carry on its nefarious and divisive activities in India.
The ISI was trying to play on the sympathies of the Sikhsthrough steps like the Kartarur Corridor while, at the same time, trying todestabilise Punjab by backing SFJ’s Referendum 2020, he said.
The ISI continued to back terror groups, with Pakfactory-made grenades found to have been used for terror activities in Punjab,he added.
Describing the conference as a red letter-day for mutualcooperation among the state, the Chief Minister, however, called for closerexamination of laws like MCOCA before implementing them in other states as theyhad a lot of scope for misuse.
He, however, agreed on the need to further strengthen theNDPS Act.
Haryana presented an action taken report on decisions takenat the last meeting.
Haryana Chief Minister M.L. Khattar called for acomprehensive joint programme to tackle the problem of drugs, which hedescribed as a social rather than a political issue.
He stressed the need to cut off drugs supply to preventyouth from getting addicted, and also advocated an inter-state cell phone baseof live data of absconding offenders and to keep track of dealers and theirassociates.
Khattar also underlined the need to strengtheninvestigations to prevent acquittal of offenders and suggested stringent lawsand training programmes for investigators.
Haryana, he said, was all set to enact HCOCA (HaryanaControl of Organised Crime Act) to prevent organised crime, on the lines ofPOCA.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said his state was atthe receiving end of drug smuggling due to its shared border with Pakistan.
Supporting Amarinder Singh’s demand for a National DrugsPolicy, he called for strong steps to destroy the parallel economy being run bydrug smugglers.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur also calledfor a policy and plan to further strengthen the efforts of the northern states,with a public movement to create awareness and reverse the trend.
He appreciated Punjab’s Buddy Programme and said hisgovernment will try to replicate it in his state. He also said Himachal Pradeshwas considering a legislation on lines of HCOCA and MCOCA to tackle drugs.
Thakur said in continuation of the decisions taken at thefirst conference, all the participating states will post their officers forcoordination, at the common secretariat being set up for the purpose inPanchkula, by August 15.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was of theopinion that the awareness campaign against drugs should be made a part ofschool education, especially in view of the growing use of women and childrenas couriers.
Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said Attari border was being usedactively to smuggle drugs that go to all states, and called for properinfrastructure, with full truck body scanners and canine units, to check thesame. He mooted creation of a separate central agency only for drugs, on thelines of NIA, to probe national and international links of drug smugglers, oralternatively the strengthening of the investigation wing of NCB.
It was announced that Himachal Pradesh will host the nextregional conference on drugs in Shimla early next year.