E-Paper
Himachal CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu bats for giving more power to states under NDPS Act
d for a provision in the NDPS Act to enable the confiscation of properties of drug peddlers, stating the same in his virtual address during the regional conference on Drug Smuggling and National Security organised at New Delhi and chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah.
Chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday advocated for granting more powers to states in order to effectively combat the drug mafia, suggesting amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to effectively crack down on the drug mafia.
The CM called for a provision in the NDPS Act to enable the confiscation of properties of drug peddlers, stating the same in his virtual address during the regional conference on Drug Smuggling and National Security organised at New Delhi and chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah.
Concerned about the slow pace of conviction of the drug peddlers in and around 10 such drug-related cases in Himachal transferred to the Enforcement Directorate, the CM advocated for a need to delegate the powers of confiscation to the States.
Further, he also batted for the enhancement of the punishment for drug offences from five years to life imprisonment and making the offence cognizable and non-bailable regardless of the quantity involved as well as making provision of a fine of rupees five lakh and confiscation of properties as well. He emphasised the importance of addressing drug overdose cases leading to deaths and stressed necessary changes in this regard.
Sukhu also urged the Union government to establish a zonal office of the Narcotics Control Bureau and a Modern Hi-Tech Jail in the Kullu district of the state. He also asked for setting up a modern forensic laboratory and mobile lab in the state to accelerate the investigation of cases..
Sukhu reiterated that the state government has been taking significant steps to curb drug menace with sensitivity in view of the increasing drug menace in the state. He said that a resolution against drug abuse has been passed in the state Vidhan Sabha and shared statistics indicating a substantial increase in the number of first onformation reports by 40% followed by 34% of arrests and 50% seizure of psychotropic substances within the state.
“Himachal Pradesh is among the few States in the country employing preventive detention measures to combat the problem effectively and has also constituted an Advisory Board in this regard,” the CM said.
