War on drugs
THE destruction of over 1.4 lakh kg drugs in several parts of the country, watched through video-conferencing by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others who attended a conference on ‘Drugs Smuggling and National Security’, has demonstrated the intent of the Central and state governments to root out the drug menace. The seized drugs, worth Rs 2,378 crore, were destroyed by the Narcotics Control Bureau and law enforcement agencies of various states. Shah raised the pitch for the confiscation of assets of those involved in the illicit drug trade and their public shaming, while Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called for life imprisonment to drug peddlers and changes in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to make it more stringent.
The Home Minister stated that the Modi government wanted to create an India where not even a single youth was addicted to drugs, even as he laid emphasis on closer coordination between the Centre and the states. The Union Government must understand that different states face dissimilar challenges while fighting the war against drugs. The border state of Punjab, for instance, is battling narco terror originating from Pakistan. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Centre to make the registration of drones compulsory as such unmanned aerial vehicles are being frequently used for cross-border smuggling of heroin and weapons. State-of-the-art anti-drone technology is a must along the international border with Pakistan to curb smuggling.
The Centre should also ensure an uninterrupted flow of funds to states and UTs so that they can upgrade their forensic laboratories and drug de-addiction centres. Amending the law to make a clear distinction between addicts and peddlers is another imperative. Among the peddlers, the big fish must be targeted on priority. It’s worrying that international drug cartels continue to be active despite the huge seizures in recent years. Breaking the supply chain is a prerequisite for the success of the ambitious anti-drug mission.
