Newmai News Network
Shillong: Meghalaya Social Welfare Minister, Paul Lyngdoh has emphasized the need to detect and stop the supply of drugs and other narcotic substances at the entry points to Meghalaya.
“I have pointed out to the deputy chief minister in-charge Home (police) that we need to increase our policing at the entry points. 70% of the narcotics that come to Meghalaya come from the East Jaintia Hills district and policing in that district has to be strengthened,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
“But again that will only happen when the current recruitment to the police where about 3000 more personnel will be joining the police force and 500 volunteers of home guards will also be employed. It is only when those things happen that we can actually effectively curtail the efficacy of the drug network,” he said.
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He said that Meghalaya has one of the lowest police-to-civilian ratios in the entire country.
Stating that the government had already declared a war against drugs, Lyngdoh said that the fact that there has been more detention, more cases being unearthed and more of the violators being brought to book shows the efficacy of the government and of the various interventions that the government has announced.
Lyngdoh then said, “You will recall that the PITNDPS was invoked last year. Cases against certain frequent offenders have already been built and these people will surely come under detention under this revised Act.”
He further informed that the department had also proposed the appointment of a new mission director for the DREAM project as the current director is tight with a number of responsibilities in the home department.
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On whether it is the right approach by NGOs to apprehend drug users, the minister however said there is a need to build a rapport with society and traditional institutions are requested to play their role in the setting up of addiction and rehabilitation centres at the village and locality level.
Also stating that funds constraint is a problem as of date, Lyngdoh said, “This is because of the announcement of the general elections and the absence of a popular government in Delhi.” He assured that once a new government takes over in Delhi “whatever we have been in conversation with the union ministry will continue.”
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