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Ravinder Sood
Palampur, October 28
Despite efforts of law enforcing agencies, drug traffickers have succeeded in spreading their tentacles in the region. They are targeting adolescents, schoolchildren and unemployed youths to establish their nexus.
In many rural areas of Palampur, youngsters have fallen prey to drug abuse and have become addicts. Some of them have even become bed-ridden due to drug overdose.
“My son was working in a shop, where a drug peddler introduced him to ‘chitta’ six month ago. Now, he is an addict, has poor mental health and is unable to move. There is no drug addiction centre in the district and we have been advised to go to Chandigarh, Jalandhar or Ludhiana,” said a village from Bhagotla panchayat.
In the past one year, the police have arrested a number of accused, including women, involved in the illegal trade and cases under the NDPS Act have been registered in different police stations. But there is no let-up in the situation and the scenario has only gotten worse.
Many towns and villages, particularly those sharing border with Punjab, have been witnessing an influx of drugs and cheap intoxicants. Traffickers are enticing unemployed youth, rural population and schoolchildren to become “carriers” of drugs. The scenario is no better in other towns and villages of Kangra, particularly Nurpur subdivision.
“Before the problem of alcoholism and drug abuse becomes a social malaise in Palampur, the state should initiate necessary steps to build a climate of abstinence by disseminating information about the ill-effects of alcohol consumption and other intoxicants,” said a member of an NGO working in this field.
He said the enforcement agencies should involve NGOs, teachers, communities, civil society, rural population and media to spread awareness on drug abuse. “Sensitisation of gullible youth is the only way to contain the menace,” he said.
DSP Amit Sharma said a massive campaign was under way in Palampur for the last three months. “Many people been arrested and cases under the NDPS Act have been registered. Most of the supplies are coming from adjoining states,” he said.
He said 17 cases had been registered at the Palampur police station in the last three months and 33 persons had been arrested. In Bhawarna, three cases had been registered and five persons had been arrested. Five cases had been registered in Panchrukhi and eight persons had been arrested, he added.
Border areas worst hit