May 9:The Punjab Government has constituted a State Anti Narcotic Task Force to further intensify its systematic campaign and strict action against the drug abuse to enforce the State government’s commitment to eradicate the drug abuse from the state. The task force would provide drug detection kits to field officers for at the spot identification of any seized narcotic substance.
Presiding over a state level meeting of all the Nodal Officers (Superintendents of Police/Detective of all districts) of the State Anti Narcotic Task Force and representatives of Narcotic Control Bureau, Zonal Officer, Chandigarh here at Punjab Police Headquarters, Mr.B.K. Uppal, IPS, Inspector General of Police, Anti Narcotic Task Force, Punjab directed nodal officers to coordinate with other agencies like Narcotic Control Bureau, Directorate Revenue Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Border Security Force to ensure strict and timely action against drug smugglers to wipe out this menace from the state. He also asked them to initiate legal proceedings against drug smugglers for the attachment of their properties acquired through ill-gotten means.
Mr. Uppal underlined the need for organizing visits to education institutes in their respective areas to create awareness amongst the students about ill-effects of the drugs besides educating drivers, labour class, school drop-outs and slum dwellers as they were more prone to the addiction. He asked them to launch multi-media campaign for publicizing the ill-effects of the drugs in their respective areas by involving District Public Relations Offices.
To check the use of synthetic drugs and availability of narcotic substances at chemist shops, he asked them to organize joint operations along with drug inspectors and book the erring chemists and caution them against selling any drug without due prescription of Doctor.
Taking serious note of some instances of pilferages from mall khanas, he directed them to arrange destruction of seized drugs as early as possible.
He categorically said that any kind of connivance with drug mafia of field officials’ would not be tolerated and if any kind of such information comes in their notice, strict action should be taken against the guilty.
On this occasion, the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) officers made a demonstration regarding the use of drug detection kit to facilitate at the spot identification of seized narcotic substance. The NCB also agreed to hold educational workshops for Punjab Police officers to make them aware regarding procedure to be adopted in the matter of property attachment. He also emphasized that Police officers seizing the drugs should claim the reward money as per government instructions well in time.