The other day, the Rajya Sabha was informed by the government that as much as 66595 kilograms of drugs under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were seized in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the three years. Minister of State (MoS) Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai told the House in a written reply, following a query, that in 2020, 26111.483 kg Opium Based Drugs, 1001.316 kg of Cannabis-Based Drugs, 247 kg of Psychotropic Substance, 40890.11 litters of Medicinal Preparations, and 1.554 kg of other drugs were seized in Union Territory, while as in 2021, 19930.958 kg Opium Based Drugs, 2066.401 kg of Cannabis-Based Drugs, 0.018 kg of Cocaine, 8.65 kilograms of Psychotropic Substance, 76.387 litres of Medicinal Preparations, and 76.387 kg of other drugs were seized. He further informed that in 2022, 15326.701kg Opium Based Drugs, 1631.939 kg of Cannabis-Based Drugs, 11.169 kg of Psychotropic Substance, 956.1 liters of Medicinal Preparations, and 184.4 kg of other drugs were seized in Jammu and Kashmir.
These are the records of the drugs seized and even a lay man can conclude that much more may be in circulation. In these columns, we have repeatedly been focussing on this issue and asking the administration to take it as seriously as the issue are terrorism as both are linked together supplementing each other. Though the UT administration has registered 014 drug cases J&K – In 2020, 289 cases, 357 cases in 2021, and 394 in 2022 under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the point is that the numbers presented by the government show increase every year despite the efforts to curb the menace. The administration needs to dig a bit deeper. Reports suggest that there are some black sheep within the system that are part and parcel of drug mafia. If true, such elements should be identified and isolated.
Secondly and most importantly, the society as a whole has to wake up to this challenge. The war against drug trafficking and abuse is to be fought from every household. Parents have a responsibility to have frequent and friendly communication with children so that if their children fall in bad company, they would be first to notice it and thus correct the wrong. The society as a whole, Mohalla committees, civil society groups and religious institutions should get involved in a positive way to curb this menace. It is the war of every citizen of J&K which is to fought rising above political, religious and societal differences which is to be fought to ensure a safe and better future.
