Lucknow, May 17 (Representative) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that the problem of drug trafficking is not confined to a state and is widespread, therefore the efforts to deal with it should also be integrated. Presiding over the state level committee of National Narcotics Coordination Portal (NCORD), Yogi said, “All the enforcement agencies should unite and take action in this direction. We have to make multi pronged efforts to investigate the source of drugs, end their network, arrest the culprits and rehabilitate drug addicts.”He said that there is a need to intensify the campaign against illegal manufacturing, purchase and sale of drugs and drug trafficking in the state. “Gather reliable information, make a better action plan, and then, after careful planning, take decisive action. Stringent action should be taken against whoever is found involved in such anti-social work including attachment of their properties. It is necessary to destroy the entire network of the drug mafia,” he said. The CM said that vigilance and intelligence will have to be further improved in sensitive districts. “Vigilance should be stepped up on the interstate and international borders. Along with the Home Department, the Urban Development and Rural Development Department will also have to cooperate in this campaign. Stringent action should be ensured against the drug mafia with better coordination,” he said. He said that it has been decided by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to set up a new zonal headquarter at Gorakhpur. “The state government will provide land and resources required for the headquarters building. This effort of NCB will be our big ally in ending the illegal drug business in the state,” he said. Yogi said that people involved in the illegal business of drug trafficking are the enemies of society. “They are criminals of humanity. A zero tolerance policy should be adopted in such cases. It is necessary to ensure trial of cases under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in fast-track courts, so that criminals are punished expeditiously,” he said.
He said, “Under the NDPS Act special courts should be constituted in the districts with maximum pendency of cases. Necessary action should be taken in this regard at the government level. “The CM said that important steps were taken last year for well-planned and effective action against drug trafficking in the state, “Anti-Narcotics Task Force was constituted by the state government in August 2022. The force has all necessary powers like search, seizure, arrest, attachment, custody and investigation,” he said.He said, “It is a matter of pleasure that during the national conference of ANTF heads, UP’s system was considered ideal and exemplary for other states. All necessary resources should be made available as per the requirements of ANTF. “Yogi said that in order to expand the infrastructure facilities in ANTF, at present its police stations have been established at Gorakhpur, Meerut, and Barabanki while 5 units are functional. “Now, in the next phase, police stations should also be made functional in Jhansi, Saharanpur and Ghazipur,” he said. He said that good results are being seen in the efforts of the state government to effectively curb the illegal purchase, sale and use of drugs. “More than 11,400 criminals were arrested in 2020, whereas 11,749 and 11,595 were arrested in 2021 and 2022 respectively. As many as 64 people have been arrested in 26 cases by ANTF alone, while illegal drugs worth Rs 27 crore and 43 lakh have been seized,” he said. The CM said that proper use of NCORD portal and Nidan platform of the Union Government should be made for effective action against drug trafficking. “The ANTF should be further strengthened so that decisive action can be taken in the fight against drugs,” he said.
He said that district-level and state-level NCORD meetings should be held at regular intervals as per the intention of the central government. “This meeting should be held every month in each case. There is information about a delay in the meeting in some districts. These districts will be reviewed by the Principal Secretary for Home and the Special Director General of Police (Law and Order),” he said. Yogi said that the fight against drugs is not the fight of just one government, it is the fight of the people. “The fight against drugs has to become a mass movement. This year, from Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary on September 25 to Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2, prepare to organise a state-wide awareness program on drug addiction,” he said. He said that efforts should be stepped up to raise awareness about de-addiction in educational institutions. “Videos of drug addicts’ experiences should be shared. Awareness material should be distributed in higher educational institutions, conferences should also be organised. Training of teachers should also be conducted during the holidays,” he said.The CM said that voluntary and non-governmental organisations like ‘Apna Ghar’ in Varanasi have done inspiring work in the direction of rehabilitation of drug addicts by showing them the path of de-addiction and giving them a new life. “Such NGOs and religious organisations will have to be encouraged in all the districts. In the first phase, preparations should be made to set up such rehabilitation centers at all divisional headquarters,” he said.