SHIMLA, Jan 19 — Expressing concern over the rise in consumption of drugs by school and college students and a spurt in the smuggling of contraband goods in Himachal Pradesh, the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Puri, today said that narcotic cells would be opened in all districts to curb the menace and a special campaign launched to destroy the cannabis plants.

Mr Puri, who was talking to newsmen, said that reports of some schoolchildren having lost their lives after consuming drugs had been received.

He said that the cannabis growing areas had been identified in Kulu, Chamba, Mandi and Shimla districts and the plants would be destroyed in the fields in the next season. Community policing would also be stepped up to check the use of drugs by students.

He ruled out the involvement of the Pakistan’s ISI in drug trafficking in Himachal Pradesh.

The DGP said that consumption of drugs was increasing at an alarming rate and 51 kg of charas was seized in the first 18 days of January against a total seizure of 358 kg last year. The seizure in 1999 was 77 kg.

He said that help of the Anti-Narcotics Bureau of the Central Government would also be taken to curb the menace. There were reports of farmers in certain areas switching over to cultivation of cannabis as it fetched more money than the crops.

Against 102 drug related cases registered in 1999, their number increased to 194 last year. Standing cannabis plants in an area of 1,260 bighas were destroyed in Kulu district.

Mr Puri said that several foreigners were involved in drug related offences and antecedents of all foreigners staying in Kulu would be verified and action taken against illegal migrants and those overstaying in the country.

The DGP said crime against women was also on the increase and 129 cases of rape were registered last year against 109 in 1999. As many as 301 cases of cruelty to women were registered last year against 258 in 1999. A state-level women’s police cell had been established in the police headquarters and the scheme would be extended to all districts of the state.

He said the functioning of the police would be made transparent and the community policing, which was introduced in 22 police stations, extended to the entire state. Emphasis was being laid on the neighbourhood watch scheme, night patrolling and verification of antecedents through active members of the community policing scheme.

The Centre had granted Rs 13 crore for raising another India reserve battalion for which recruitment of 675 constables would begin on February 3.

The Himachal police would get Rs 33.5 crore during the next five years at the rate of Rs 6.7 crore per year for modernisation and mobility.