March 27 :Justice Kurian Joseph, Chief Justice of H.P. High Court who is also Patron of Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy has stressed the need to take multi-dimensional steps to improve the quality of investigation of NDPS cases as well as increase effectiveness of criminal justice delivery system, as the justice could be delivered only when there was total support by an effective and efficient investigation system and administration.
Inaugurating a two-day long workshop on ‘NDPS Act and Related Issues’ organised by Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy, here today Chief Justice apprised the Participant-Officers with the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the procedure laid down there-under.
He said that the drug abuse has become a major problem over the years and added that the situation has become alarming which needed remedial measures at once so that the rule of law and effectiveness of the criminal justice delivery system were not only maintained but improved. He further said that guilty should be punished and stringent punishment be inflicted but at the same time, it was equally necessary to ensure the innocent were not involved by taking undue advantage of stringent provision of the Act.
Chief Justice said that there was also a dire need to develop strong Investigation mechanism for dealing with the NDPS and related Issues. He said that need of the hour was also to sensitize the people about narcotic menace and abuse which needed to be dealt with stringently. He said that illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs should be curbed on priority and also asked the police officers to book or register such cases on priority so that culprits could be took to task. He said that we should exercise our power and work for minimizing the narcotic drug cases as it spoiled the life of the youth and children as well. He said that provision of stringent punishment were also laid down under the laws and added that we should know purpose of laws and work accordingly.
Chief Justice said that Judicial, Police Prosecution and Administrative officers could play vital role to eradicate narcotic abuse from the society and added that for which there was also need of strong-will and commitment. He said that public awareness and education were also essential about narcotic for propagation of narcotic abuse and drugs and its adverse effects on youth and children. He said that application of law is an art and we should apply it for the interest of the people. He said that there was a need for collective and coordinated efforts by all the wings of the State at their respective levels to eradicate this evil once for all.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Subhash Negi, Principal Secretary, Home, said that attitudinal changes could also bring qualitative improvement in the present system of judiciary. He said that NDPS Act should be implemented in letter and spirit and added that monitoring on narcotic drugs needed to be taken on priority. He said that State Government had also constituted High Powered Committee in this regard and added that training programmes should also be organised for this purpose.
Dr. D.S Manhas, Director General of Police (Vigilance) said that corruption from the society needed to be weeded out and we should work in unison in this direction. He said that Police Department would work with dedication to investigate and deal with narcotic drug cases in the State. He said that the Department would try to come upto the expectations of the people.
Earlier, Shri S.L. Sharma, Director, Himachal Pradesh Judical Academy welcomed the Chief Guest said that the objective of the workshop was to have a mechanism which ensure that the loopholes resulting in failure of NDPS cases were plugged and to bring cooperation and coordination for effective implementation of laws by all the agencies within the frame-work of NDPS Act.
Present among others on the occasion were Justice Deepak Gupta, Justice V.K. Ahuja, Justice Surinder Singh, Justice Sanjay Karol, Justice Kuldeep Singh, Justice Rajiv Sharma, Justice V.K. Sharma, Judges of H.P. High Court, Shri T. G. Negi, Principal Secretary, Training, Shri S.K. Baldi, Principal Secretary, Education and Director, HIPA, Shri H.S. Rana, Director, Prosecution, Resource persons from Judiciary, Police, Prosecution, Forensic Science and officers of local Administration.