4 days ago
Shandil urges youth to stay away from drugs
Shimla: Health and family welfare minister Colonel Dhani Ram Shandil (retd) on Wednesday administered an oath against drug abuse and illegal trafficking to the youth from various educational institutions under the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' and listed various initiatives being taken by the state govt to make Himachal Pradesh drug-free.
The minister urged the youth, women, officials, employees, and people of Himachal to stay aware of the harmful effects of drugs, take active part in the campaign, and show united commitment against drug abuse.
He said the directorate of Empowerment of Scheduled Castes, OBCs, Minorities, and the Specially Abled (ESOMSA) was working with NITI Aayog, the national dependence treatment centre at AIIMS Delhi, and PGIMER Chandigarh to prepare a detailed state action plan for drug prevention.
Action against drugs
Shandil said the state govt had taken strict action against drugs as two bills were passed recently in the legislative assembly against the drug abuse and related crimes. These bills include provisions of death penalty, life imprisonment, fine up to Rs 10 lakh, confiscation of property, rehabilitation, preventive education, and livelihood support, he informed.
Under the PIT NDPS Act, the Himachal Pradesh Police have seized illegal property worth Rs 42 crore, identified the property of 70 traffickers, and detained 44 notorious drug peddlers, the minister added.
He further said a campaign was being actively run at the panchayat level to identify smugglers, and drug consumers. A special task force has been formed to focus on anti-drug operations, and 13 police stations have been notified for this purpose.
De-addiction centres
A 100-bed, fully equipped, modern de-addiction centre will be set up at Kotla Barog in Sirmaur district, said Shandil, adding that Rs 5.34 crore has already been approved for the project.
He also informed that de-addiction and rehabilitation centres were already operational in the state – four for men in Kullu, Una, Hamirpur, and Kangra districts, and one for women run by the Red Cross Society in Kullu district.
For counselling of the youth, 108 new 'Disha' centres have been set up in health institutions, and ASHA workers, doctors, and psychiatrists are also being specially trained for this purpose, the minister added.
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