District Samba Intensifies efforts to Combat Drug Abuse & Narcotic Trade

SAMBA, September 02: Deputy Commissioner Samba Abhishek Sharma, along with SSP, Benam Tosh today chaired a pivotal meeting of the district-level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) committee. The meeting, held at the DC Office complex’s Conference hall, aimed to address the pressing issue of drug abuse and the illicit drug trade within the district.

During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner issued a series of directives to key district officials, including SDMs, ACD, and tehsildars. These directives included the identification of drug movement hotspots and instances of drug trade. The DC also reviewed the status of a prevalence survey and instructed the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to identify informers who can assist in dismantling the drug supply chain.

The review of the status of Drug De-addiction center to be constructed in Gurha Salathia was also held.Deputy Commissioner instructed the Executive Engineer Public Works Department (PWD) to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

To combat drug abuse at its roots, the DC emphasized the importance of awareness programs and information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns. These campaigns are to be conducted in all colleges and schools across the district, with a special focus on higher and school-level educational institutions.

Furthermore, the Deputy Commissioner reviewed the status of the “Nasha Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan,” an initiative aimed at creating drug-free villages at the grassroots level. The District Social Welfare Officer informed the committee that formats for declaring villages as Nasha Mukt have been shared with Panchayats, and the DC directed that all Panchayats of Samba should be declared Nasha Mukt on a priority basis.

Recognizing the importance of border security, Deputy Commissioner Sharma urged police, ARTO, and BSF officers to maintain strict vigilance on vehicular movement along border areas to prevent narcotics smuggling.

SSP Benam Tosh also stressed the significance of early detection and information sharing about drug transport. He recommended organizing seminars on the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in colleges and sharing case studies of local drug peddlers to create deterrence.

In his closing remarks, the Deputy Commissioner reiterated the importance of effectively implementing these directions to curb drug abuse decisively. He affirmed the District Administration’s unwavering commitment to creating a drug-free environment and vowed to take all necessary steps to achieve this goal. Additionally, he highlighted the stringent legal actions taken against individuals involved in drug peddling and the support provided to victims of drug abuse through control and rehabilitation efforts.

The meeting witnessed the presence of key officials and stakeholders, including ADC Samba, SDMs, ACD, CEO, CMO, DSWO, Tehsildars, Principals of colleges, ETO, Assistant Drug Controller, and Inspectors from the drug control department, reflecting the collective commitment to combat drug abuse in District Samba.