Drug abuse on a high among youth: CM promises a special drive in Mumbai

Replying to questions raised by Opposition parties over the spread of drug abuse, Fadnavis also said the narcotics department of the Mumbai Police will be strengthened to tackle such cases.

In light of the rising drug menace in the city “catching up with the younger generation”, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that a special drive will be launched to crack down on peddlers.

CM Devendra Fadnavis greets speaker Haribhau Bagde at the Assembly (Kunal Patil/HT)

Replying to questions raised by Opposition parties over the spread of drug abuse, Fadnavis also said the narcotics department of the Mumbai Police will be strengthened to tackle such cases.

Congress MLAs, Arif Naseem Khan and Amin Patel, and AIMIM’s Waris Pathan raised the issue of drug abuse spreading among youth in areas such as Dongri, JJ Marg, Byculla and Shivaji Nagar.

The CM admitted that drug abuse among the youth had risen and said the state has taken the matter very seriously. “I will have a meeting with the Mumbai Police commissioner today and will ask him to launch a drive against the drug menace. The Mumbai commissionerate will also be directed to strengthen its narcotics department,” Fadnavis said in the Assembly.

Stating that drug consumption was on the rise, Pathan on Thursday said “the youth are on the verge of spoiling their future”. He said that one time, he had formed a team and raided a gang peddling drugs in his area as police “did not pay heed” to his complaint. He said it is “high time” that the state undertook a drive to make Mumbai “drug-free”. Khan said, “Besides schools, colleges and isolated areas such as cemeteries, slums have become dens of drug peddling activities and the young generation is being targeted.”

Patel also said drug consumption along railway tracks is “rampant” because of the dispute between railway police force and the government railway police. Replying to this, Fadnavis assured the House there will be better coordination between two police forces deputed on railway premises.