SRINAGAR: In order to review the action plan and other measures to be taken for making Srinagar drugs free District under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad today chaired an Officers meeting at Meeting Hall of the DC Office Complex, here.

The meeting held threadbare deliberations on the rising trend of drug abuse-a reason behind many other crimes. The challenges like cracking down on the peddlers, local drug supply hubs, consumption hotspots, rehabilitation measures were discussed in detail and strategies to tackle them were highlighted.

At the outset, the DC said that Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched to focus on institutional support and also on community outreach programme to make society free from all kinds of harmful addictions like alcohol, drugs abuse etc.

On the occasion, the DC stressed upon the prevention and curability aspects of drug de-addiction so that youth would remain far away from the consumption of narcotic substances and simultaneously they are guided and rehabilitated under different self-employment schemes.

The DC emphasised for better coordination among all the line departments, stakeholders and Drug law enforcement agencies to keep a check on drug trafficking and related issues and ensure prompt sharing of inputs within all enforcement units so that timely action is taken against the drug peddlers for larger social and humanitarian causes.

The DC also directed the concerned officers to ensure proper vigil in and around the schools/colleges to keep check on supply and use of drugs across the District.

He further stressed on the need to make joint efforts to break the supply chain and demand for drugs in the district, besides to track the drug trafficking modules and tracing their source.

The DC also asked for disseminating detailed awareness about the ill effects of Drugs in educational Institutions and other important places by holding awareness workshops against the menace of drug abuse.

The DC also stressed on keeping proper vigil on the students bunking the educational Institutions during the schools/colleges timings to prevent chances of getting them involved in the drug menace.

During the meeting, the HoD Department of Psychiatry/Incharge Drug De-addiction Centre, SMHS, Hospital Dr Yassir shared his clinical experience in handling victims of substance abuse and also suggested several preventive measures to combat the drug menace and monitoring of Drug Trafficking. He said taking vigilant efforts to check drug trafficking will help in creating deterrence

Besides Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Syed Haneef Balkhi and SP South, Lakshya Sharma, the meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner Panchayats, Chief Medical Officer, District Panchayat Officer, District Social Welfare Officer, District Programme Manager, NRLM, District Planning Officer, Education, HoD Department of Psychiatry/Incharge Drug De-addiction Centre, SMHS, Hospital and other concerned.