MLAs of various parties voice concern
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 20: Several legislators drawn from different political parties today voiced concern over drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir and called for stringent laws against the accused even as the Government asserted that it was job of law enforcement agencies to check smuggling of drugs.
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A virtual debate ensured in the Assembly during clubbed question of Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Mir (all NC) and Surjeet Singh Slathia (BJP) on the drug menace in the UT.
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Slathia said nearly 50 youth have died in Samba due to drug addiction and called for stricter laws against the accused saying the drug peddlers are arrested but are bailed out.
“It has become more grave threat than gun,” Slathia said.
NC’s Nazir Gurezi said police should be held accountable for the use of drugs while Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah called for strict laws to check drug trafficking.
Modi-ud-din Mir said it has to be investigated from where the drugs are coming. He called for educating youth against the drug use.
Saifullah Mir (NC) said police has a major role to check the drug smuggling and also called for strict check on medical shops.
MY Tarigami of CPM said there was nexus of drug smugglers of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan and even drones are being used for the smuggling. He called for need to hit at roots of the drug rackets.
Chander Prakash Ganga (BJP) stressed for strict law to check the use of drugs.
Sajjad Shaheen (NC) called for setting up of De-addiction centres at the district levels while his party colleague Tanvir Sadiq emphasised for action against medical shops selling sleeping pills etc. NC’s Dr Shaffi Wani said the Drug Policy and Drug Act are not being implemented on ground.
Responding to concern of House members, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo said that checking smuggling of drugs is responsibility of law enforcement agencies. “The Health Department’s task is treatment, counseling etc which we are doing,” she added.
She emphasized the crucial and collective role of legislators, senior citizens, intellectuals, community members and religious leaders in combating the menace of drug abuse across the UT.
She added that the department has taken various steps like mandatory CCTV installation and computerized billing of medical shops training counselors at village level as well as CCTV installation in and around schools and colleges. She also said that teachers are being trained in schools to counsel students showing some early signs of drug addiction.
The Minister informed the House that Drug De-addiction services are being strengthened across the Union Territory under the Health and Medical Education Department and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. She added that Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) are functional in all the districts of Kashmir Division and nine districts of Jammu Division, with dedicated IPD beds and OPD services available to ensure comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation.
“In Kashmir Division ATFs are functional in SKIMS, GMC Bemina Srinagar, GMC Anantnag, GMC Baramulla, GMC Handwara, District Hospital Kulgam, District Hospital Shopian, District Hospital Pulwama, District Hospital Budgam, District Hospital Ganderbal and District Hospital Bandipora. In Jammu division, ATFs are functional in GMC Doda, GMC Jammu, GMC Kathua, GMC AH Rajouri, GMC AH Udhampur, District Hospital Kishtwar, District Hospital Poonch, District Hospital Ramban, District Hospital Reasi and DH Samba (functional on OPD Basis),” Itoo said.
The Minister said that OPD services are being ensured in all the districts, IPD services in all the GMCs besides the psychiatrists are also available. Efforts are underway to bolster de-addiction counselling and treatment services, particularly in rural and vulnerable areas, by strengthening OPD-based counselling, improving access to essential medicines, and enhancing follow-up and outreach programmes, she added.
“Health and Medical Education Department is regularly organizing awareness campaigns through field functionaries as well as via print media, encouraging the drug abuse victims to seek treatment and counselling to get rid of this evil addiction”, she said.
The Minister said that 32517 patients have been registered in ATFs in J&K, with 16759 in Kashmir division and 15758 in Jammu division. She added that there is no proposal to establish Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in Pulwama district of Kashmir division and Samba district of Jammu division, saying that a Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre at Village Bajwani, Tral district Pulwama is functional and catering to patients from across the district.
The Health Minister said that an addiction treatment facility has been established at District Hospital Samba since February 2024 sponsored by NDDTC (AIIMS New Delhi) under MoSJE. “The centre is staffed with a psychiatrist and other trained staff to provide treatment and rehabilitation services”, she said. She added that the centre is presently working on OPD basis and providing services like OPD by Psychiatric, counseling, Addiction Treatment Facility and de-addiction medicines are also provided free of cost to the patients.
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