‘Nasha Mukt Himachal Abhiyan’ soon to curb drug menace in state

To address the escalating problem of drug abuse, the Himachal Pradesh government is set to launch the ‘Nasha Mukt Himachal Abhiyan,’ a comprehensive state-wide campaign aimed at combating this menace. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that this campaign envisages a three-pronged strategy, focusing on prevention, early identification of drug users and the rehabilitation of addicts back into society.

Will involve all key stakeholders: CM

• The Chief Minister said the campaign would involve all key stakeholders, including government departments such as Education, Health, Police, Youth Services and Sports, etc
• The local bodies like PRIs, ULBs, Yuvak Mandals, Mahila Mandals and NGOs would play an active role at the grassroots level
• Special focus will be on high-risk areas such as industrial zones, the state capital, educational institutions and municipal corporations
• The campaign would incorporate social media outreach and awareness programmes

“Our government is fully committed to tackling the challenge of drug abuse head-on,” said Sukhu. “This issue represents one of the greatest threats to our society, affecting public health, social stability and economic well-being. We aim to protect future generations from falling into this quagmire and shield our citizens from the devastating effects of drug abuse, ensuring the long-term social and economic well-being of the state,”he added.

The Chief Minister said that the state was working on appropriate strategies and interventions to control the supply and reduce the demand for drugs. “The ‘Nasha Mukt Himachal Abhiyan’ would involve all key stakeholders including various government departments such as Education, Health, Police, Rural Development, Youth Services and Sports and Information and Public Relations,” the CM said. The local bodies including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Yuvak Mandals, Mahila Mandals and NGOs would play an active role at grassroots level in creating awareness among the people about the ill effects of drugs during the campaign. Special focus will be given to high-risk areas such as industrial zones, the state capital, educational institutions and municipal corporations.

He said the campaign would also incorporate extensive social media outreach, alongside on-ground awareness programmes. To support rehabilitation efforts, the government plans to establish detoxification and counselling centres at government hospitals and community health centres (CHCs). “These centres would offer 5-10 beds along with facilities for diagnostic tests and treatment of related illnesses. Additionally, the state government is also upgrading the infrastructure to bolster its efforts in rehabilitating drug addicts,” he said.

“A specialized force focused on preventing drug-related crimes is also being developed, and an advisory board has been already established to provide strategic guidance to the campaign,” said Sukhu.

He further said that the Police Department had published a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to assist officers and officials in handling issues related to drug trafficking and illegal activities effectively.