Poppy cultivation in Mussoorie alarming, students most vulnerable

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, May 27

Educationists, social activists and health experts are alarmed at the increase in poppy cultivation as confirmed by arrest of drug peddlers in and around Mussoorie.

Medical experts believe that “doda” addiction is now becoming a big substance abuse problem and if not checked, it could spread to the state’s remote areas.

They believe that students are the most vulnerable to such substance abuse and the role of parents, social activists and educationists in curbing the menace and stopping it from reaching schools and colleges in the region is important.

Educationists from the town believe that parents, teachers and the police have a major role to play in stopping the menace of drug abuse in any form to avoid ruining of youth’s lives — They are often lured by drug addiction.

Social activists are of the view that the police should try to nip the evil in the bud by destroying poppy cultivation and an awareness programme to sensitise the society to its ill-effects should be taken up with the help of social organisations in the state.

Kempty police station in-charge Prem Singh Chauhan said, “Special teams have been formed to stop poppy cultivation in the region. A close watch is being kept on the area so that drug-peddlers are caught and taken to task before they make an attempt to sell the drugs in the market.”

Meanwhile, the Kempty police on a tip-off arrested four drugs peddlers and seized 14 sacks of opiate doda powder from their possession late last evening.

The accused have been identified as Swaraj Singh, a resident of Bhediyana village, near Kempty, and Aftaab, Sayeed Ahmed and Akram, all residents of Saharanpur. The accused were arrested near the Aglar Bridge on the Mussoorie-Yamunotri Highway.

Swaraj told the police during interrogation that they had bough doda powder from Lalotna, Khyarsi and Kyari villages in the Thatyud division of Tehri district. The consignment was to be sent to Delhi for sale in the international market. A case has been registered against them under the NDPS Act.