E-Paper
Centre adopts nine-point strategy to check illicit opium
The Centre has adopted a nine- point strategy to curb the illegal opium cultivation in the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
The Centre has adopted a nine- point strategy to curb the illegal opium cultivation in the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
"As per the information available, illicit opium cultivation has been destroyed in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh," Minister of state for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran said in the House.
He, however, said information pertaining to funding of the Maoist insurgency from such sale proceed is not available. As part of the new strategy, the minister said ground surveys are being carried out to detect illicit cultivation of opium poppy, while satellite survey is being conducted by Advanced Data Processing Research Institute (ADRIN).
The other steps include destruction of illicit opium poppy and prosecution of the offenders, improved coordination with state drug law enforcement agencies, training programmes for law enforcement officials, awareness campaigns to educate people regarding punitive action for illicit cultivation of opium, the minister said.
Schemes of monetary rewards for information leading to destruction of opium cultivation, financial assistance being provided to states for strengthening their narcotics units and creation of Anti Narcotics Task Force in states are also included in the strategy, he said.
