Urges stakeholders to launch mass awareness campaign against drug menace
POONCH: District Magistrate Poonch, Yasin M. Choudhary convened the Narco Coordination (NCORD) Committee meeting here in the DC office Poonch and discussed the action taken by the designated members on the directions issued on the previous occasions.
A detailed discussion was also held to formulate the future course of action against the drug abuse in the district.
The meeting discussed threadbare incidence of drug addiction, areas of concern, age group of addicts, hot spots of drug use and cultivation of illicit poppy, cannabis in the district. The members of the Committee presented the latest report in the district regarding control on drug addiction and drug trafficking.
DySP (HQ) Afrat Hussain, intimated that in a stringent action against drug peddlers during the current calendar year, 22 FIRs were registered and 38 persons were arrested under NDPS Act during the action against drug peddlers.
The DC directed the officers to set up Anti-Drug Clubs in every Degree/Polytechnic College, Higher Secondary and High School of the District.
He further directed to constitute Village/Mohalla Committees that shall identify and report about drug addicts and peddlers in their respective areas to the police. He also directed the Social Welfare Officer to distribute pamphlets in Hindi/Urdu/English among the general public and install hoardings in every Tehsil Headquarters of the district to encourage the public to join hands with the administration in the fight against drug abuse.
Regarding awareness, the DC stressed upon the stakeholders to launch a massive awareness campaign across the length and breadth of the district, involving people from all walks of life including school children, youth, PRIs and the target public.
He urged for conducting Symposium, Seminars and Workshops in Government institutions regarding drug addiction and its ill effects on society.
Law enforcement authorities were directed to deploy female constables who will intensify checking at border gates.
Seeking strict enforcement of drug control rules, he asked the Drug Inspector to ensure mandatory maintenance of the record of sale of psychotropic drugs to be maintained by the medical stores, check all the medical shops have installed CCTV cameras.
DC Poonch Yasin M. Choudhary also called for sensitisation of local Imams and religious heads at District level for counseling of the youth against effects of drug abuse.
The Deputy Commissioner suggested a string of measures and asked the concerned to work in coordination at different levels to combat drug trafficking. He called for maintaining close coordination among the stakeholder departments and institutions.
Earlier, the DC received feedback from the participants of the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Tahir Mustafa Malik, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Zaheer Ahmed Kaifi, Divisional Forest Officer, Suresh Manda, SDM Mendhar, Jahangir Khan, SDM Surankote, Rizwan Asgar, Dysp HQR. Afrat Hussain, Chief Education Officer, Bishamber Dass, Tehsildar ( Hqr), Jhangir Hussain, Tehsildar Mandi, Sheraz Latief Khan, Tehsildar Mendhar, Rahul Baskotra, District Agriculture Officer, (Extension), Munshi Ram, District Tuberculosis Officer, Dr. Femida Banday, Tehsil Social welfare officer Azam Rather, Drugs Inspector, Vikas besides other concerned officers were present.