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UP has zero tolerance policy towards drugs, says Yogi
The state government will open special courts in top 10 districts with most pending cases under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985, says CM
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that Uttar Pradesh was committed to extend full cooperation to the central government in its attempt to make India drugs-free.
Attending a virtual regional conference on ‘Drugs Trafficking and National Security’, which was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Adityanath said: “The state government will open special courts in top 10 districts with most pending cases under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985.”
“Along with harming youths, drugs have a negative impact on society as a whole. It is necessary to enforce a ban on narcotics drugs effectively. Effective and committed action is being taken in this direction in UP.”
“UP has adopted the policy of zero tolerance towards drugs. Over 4146.75 kg of narcotics were destroyed in the state on a single day by the Narcotics Control Bureau on Monday,” he added.
In accordance with the home minister’s guidelines, the state-level committee of National Narcotics Coordination (NCORD) had been constituted in UP whereas district-level committees were formed in all 75 districts. Four meetings of the state-level committee of NCORD were held in the state, he said.
In the first state-level meeting, it was decided to form Anti-Narcotics Task Force. In the second one, it was made mandatory to install steel-plated warning boards in all restaurants/pubs/bars, etc while changing the excise policy. In the third meeting, it was decided to establish the Advanced Data Processing Research Institute, satellite mapping, and destruction of opium poppy crops, he said.
On August 4, 2022, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) was formed. There were three operations units in ANTF and these were divided into three zones: the Western Zone, Central Zone, and Eastern Zone. Meerut, Bareilly and Agra zone were included in the western zone, Lucknow and Kanpur in the central zone and Prayagraj, Gorakhpur and Varanasi in the eastern zone, he said.
ACTION BY U.P. GOVT
The chief minister said action against drugs was being taken continuously following the policy of zero tolerance. From 2020 to June 2023, a total 35,775 cases had been lodged. While 39,344 people were arrested, over 2,13,726 kgs of drugs had been seized, he said.
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force arrested 108 people in 40 cases and recovered about 6,569 kg of narcotics since its formation in August 2022. In 2023, ANTF demolished two drug factories in Agra and one in Bareilly, he said.
In the drive launched by UP Special Task Force, 460 people were arrested and 44,455 kg of drugs were seized between 2021 and June 2023. In a separate drive, 4,631 kg of drugs were destroyed between 2022 and June 2023, he said.
To give thrust to the drug addiction awareness campaign, 22 drug de-addiction centres were functional in the state. Street plays, rallies, oaths, sports, motorcycle rallies, etc. were being organized to create awareness against drug abuse.
