BOMDILA, SEP 21:
A district-level meeting of the National Committee for Coordination on Drug Trafficking (NCORD) was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Monday under the chairmanship of West Kameng Deputy Commissioner Dr Dilip Kumar to review measures to curb drug abuse, substance addiction and illegal cannabis cultivation in the district.
Welcoming the participants, NCORD Nodal Officer S Wangmu Mosabi outlined the objectives of the meeting and briefed the members on initiatives undertaken so far to address drug abuse and substance addiction in the district.
Officer-in-Charge (Crime) Gagam Aje, through a presentation, highlighted measures taken by the district police to control the drug menace and presented details of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in West Kameng.
Addressing the meeting, Dilip Kumar expressed concern over the number of NDPS-related cases in the region, particularly the reported increase in cannabis cultivation in the Kalaktang area.
Appealing to villagers and the public to refrain from cultivating cannabis, he warned that those involved in illegal cultivation would face action under the NDPS Act.
The DC directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kalaktang, and Assistant Commissioner, Balemu, to hold coordination meetings with villagers, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) leaders, Gaon Burahs (GBs), senior citizens and other stakeholders to identify the forward and backward linkages associated with cannabis cultivation and trafficking.
He also directed the authorities to identify landowners who permit cannabis cultivation on their land and cautioned that GBs failing to cooperate with the campaign against illegal cultivation would face appropriate action as per rules.
Kumar urged the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) to organise a cannabis destruction programme in West Kameng and assured full cooperation from the district administration.
Expressing concern over the possible involvement of external elements in the illegal cannabis trade, the DC said the issue required serious and coordinated attention, as unchecked trafficking could have wider implications for the region and the state. He called upon all stakeholders to work collectively to eliminate the menace.
West Kameng Superintendent of Police Dr Dorjee Wangdi Thongon and representatives of the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Police, Health Department, NCB and other stakeholder agencies also shared their observations and feedback during the meeting.
The meeting concluded with the observance of the sixth year of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, reaffirming the district administration’s commitment to strengthening efforts towards a drug-free society. (DIPR)
