Srinagar, May 12 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said nearly 700 drug peddlers and smugglers have been arrested in the Union Territory over the past 31 days as part of the ongoing anti-drug campaign.
Addressing a massive anti-drug padyatra in Baramulla, Sinha launched two new initiatives under the “Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir” campaign — the “Community Immunization Program against Drugs” and the “Family Fortress Initiative” — aimed at curbing narcotics abuse and dismantling drug networks across the UT.
He said over 2.35 lakh awareness and outreach programmes have been organised across Jammu and Kashmir during the last month, while more than 44,000 OPD patients have received treatment and counselling related to substance abuse.
The Lieutenant Governor said enforcement agencies have intensified action against the narcotics supply chain, including financial networks linked to drug cartels.
“Properties worth crores raised through drug money have been seized. Around 300 driving licences and more than 400 vehicle registrations linked to drug smugglers have been recommended for cancellation,” he said.
Sinha said over 3,300 medical shops were inspected across the Union Territory and licences of nearly 150 pharmacies were suspended for violating norms.
He added that around 3,000 CCTV cameras have been installed at drug stores, while more than two dozen alleged smugglers were booked under the PIT-NDPS Act.
Calling for community participation, Sinha urged schools, religious institutions and NGOs to dedicate time every week for awareness campaigns and family-level discussions on drug abuse.
“We must treat drug addiction with compassion and rehabilitation, while ensuring the harshest punishment for those involved in trafficking and destroying the future of our youth,” he said.(NVI)
