KULGAM, June 1: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan has evolved into a mass movement across the Union Territory, with active participation from families, youth, educational institutions, religious leaders and civil society groups.
Addressing a public gathering at Laroo Bus Stand in Kulgam, Sinha described himself as “a member of your family” and assured full support of the administration in the fight against drug addiction and narcotics abuse.
The Lieutenant Governor said the anti-drug campaign, launched 51 days ago, was no longer confined to government departments and law enforcement agencies but had transformed into a collective social mission involving every section of society. He said the movement had united people across villages and cities with the common goal of making Jammu and Kashmir drug-free.
Stating that Jammu and Kashmir had suffered from both terrorism and the growing menace of drugs, Sinha said efforts launched under the anti-drug campaign were aimed at protecting youth from these twin threats. He credited the initiative to the broader vision of the Narendra Modi-led Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan launched in 2020.
Highlighting the achievements of the campaign, the Lieutenant Governor said 923 FIRs had been registered under anti-narcotics operations across Jammu and Kashmir during the past 50 days, while more than 1,000 drug peddlers had been arrested. He added that over 56 major peddlers had been detained under preventive measures and administrative action initiated against several others involved in the narcotics trade.
Sinha said more than 600 driving licences linked to narcotics offenders had been suspended under the Standard Operating Procedure, while 124 passport revocation cases had also been processed.
He praised the role of the police, security agencies, district administrations, schools, women’s groups, youth clubs, social organisations and religious leaders in strengthening awareness against drug abuse at the grassroots level.
Emphasising rehabilitation, Sinha said drug-addicted youth should be treated as victims rather than criminals and assured that modern de-addiction and rehabilitation centres would be established in every district. He said a rehabilitation policy had also been framed after consultations with experts to ensure treatment, emotional support and social reintegration for recovering addicts.
The Lieutenant Governor acknowledged that eliminating the drug menace would take time but said the 100-day campaign was aimed at building awareness and strengthening public participation. He asserted that the drive would continue until narcotics networks are completely uprooted from Jammu and Kashmir. (Agencies)
