Punjab Police Plans University Security to curb Drugs-NGO

Seattle WA

16 November, 2021

10:00 PM

Description

"Campaign Against Drugs in Punjab, got a boost from "Matters Youth", in London UK ". In an effort to tackle the drug menace in the state, the Punjab government is mulling bringing in the Comprehensive Action Against Drug Abuse Act (CADA). Once passed, the Act will provide a legal framework for enforcement, treatment and prevention programs for drug abuse. It will also cover treatment and prevention aspects for alcohol and tobacco abuse disorders. The principal innovation in the proposed Act is to give a statutory basis to prevention and treatment programs such as the DAPO (Drug Abuse Prevention Officers) and buddy program. These initiatives are aimed at having a legal foundation and supervision for community mobilization efforts and prevention amongst students. Former Security Officer to Former DGP K.P.S.Gill, S. Sharma advised Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa and DGP I.P.S. Sahota, to take over control of Punjab Universities , GNDU, PAU, since the current Security arrangements have failed in the Campaign against Drugs, amongst Students. "They are not afraid of Private Security which has increased the influx of Drugs in Educational Campuses", said Sharma. Drug treatment programs were earlier run through general nature rules made under the NDPS Act but this act provides a specific structure and a monitoring system. The Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT), Drug Abuse Prevention Officers (DAPO) and buddy programs have already been touted as major achievements by the state government in a publicity campaign. Sources clarified that there is no conflict with the main NDPS Act which prescribes punishments for various offences and that CADA only supplements the provisions of the NDPS to increase its effectiveness and improve the gains to the system. It makes officials and departments more accountable for implementation of the comprehensive action against drug abuse to the law and to the cabinet through a ministerial committee. As per the proposed Act, a copy of which is available with the New Indian Express, it aims to provide a legal foundation for enforcement, treatment and prevention programs against abuse of narcotics, psychotropic substances, alcohol, tobacco and other intoxicants in Punjab. This act aims to effectively and efficiently control drug abuse and substance abuse disorders and to secure the health and safety of citizens by adopting appropriate measures matching best international practices. Since it cannot be left to individual departments, a coordinated effort by 17 teams is needed. These teams will be brought under one ambit for implementing the strategy og CADA in an effective and time bound manner. The home department will be the nodal department to implement this act. The proposed act further states that it will be mandatory for each of the 17 departments to make an overall action plan for its area of responsibility and get it approved. There will be annual assessment of the work done by each department and unit. The action plan shall take into account the types of drugs that are particularly abused in specific areas, measures to curtail them, ensure de-addiction treatment, recovery of drug users and prevention aspects. The responsibilities of each official will be fixed in theaction plan. It will be the individual and collective responsibility of the officials for the implementation of the CADA strategy. Each department will give training to its officials to upgrade their knowledge and each official shall be individually responsible for the effective and efficient discharge of duties. If the officials are ineffective in controlling the drugs it will reflect in their Annual Appraisal Report (ACR), also legal action will be taken against officials if they fail to control drugs. A policy of rotation shall be implemented for officers to prevent development of vested interests. Besides the government departments NGOs will also be involved, said Sharma.