Pulwama, Oct 18: Authorities in this South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have adopted a multipronged strategy to tackle the menace of drug abuse.
It is under this strategy that authorities registered more than 90 cases against drug peddling and cultivation of illicit drugs for the current year.
Talking to media, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Basharat Qayoom, revealed that more than 90 cases have been registered against peddlers and illicit drug cultivators in police district Pulwama and Awantipora.
“Notorious drug peddlers have been arrested in both the police districts,” he said, adding that properties of some drug peddlers have been attached.
He added that they have issued some notices.
“We expect to get response of the notices and in coming days we will be attaching more properties, “ the deputy commissioner said.
He also told that the number of illicit drug crop cultivators has comparatively reduced in the district after they were dealt by enforcement under relevant laws during previous year.
He said that cultivators were motivated to shift to alternative crops.
“ A follow up of the cultivators reveals that many have shifted to high value agriculture and horticulture crops,” he said.
The deputy commissioner also informed that necessary equipments were provided to different departments including revenue, excise, police, irrigation and flood control for destroying cannabis growing wildly in the district.
The deputy commissioner said that they are also running an effective IEC ( Information, Education and Communication) campaign for creating awareness among people against drug abuse.
“ Regular awareness camps are being conducted through education and social welfare departments in support with local youth, religious leaders and various elected representatives of local governance”, he said.
The deputy commissioner also informed that like other districts they are striving to declare some panchayats in Pulwama which are drug free .
He informed that they have identified around 17 such panchayats in the district.
“The panchayat gram Sabha in these identified places have passed resolution that they are drug free which is being certified by concerned Tehsil and Block level officers,” he said.
He said that district administration is simultaneously working on rehabilitation and reintegration of affected cases.
He told that they have an Addiction Treatment Facility at District Hospital Pulwama and Drug Rehabilitation Centre at Tral.
“ Around 800 cases are on follow up, the new admissions are comparatively low this year,” he said, adding that many chronic cases after treatment have been successfully reintegrated with the society.
