Chitta peddlers using drones over the International borders of Afghanistan & Pakistan: Mukesh Agnihotri

Himachal Pradesh Government informed the state assembly that Chitta peddlers from Afghanistan and Pakistan are dropping heavy consignments through drones to India which is reaching Himachal Pradesh from a 360 km long porous border with Punjab and Haryana.

This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri while replying to a query raised by Rajesh Dharmani (Cong) and K L Thakur (Indept) during the question hours.
Dy CM said that many youths are also dying of overdoses of drugs consuming drugs through syringes. He said that several rehabilitation centers are also found supplying the drugs. The government wants to take strong action in one year as the state jails are overcrowded with youth and their futures are being destroyed. The drug mafia is alluring the young to consume and supply drugs by putting them in this addiction trap.

Chitta business in Himachal is being operated from foreign countries. Drug dealers based in Afghanistan and Pakistan are delivering drug consignments to Himachal. Nigerians are also operating this business in Delhi. Himachal is the border area from where the drug consignment is being transported.
He said that from January 1 to August 31 this year, the police have seized 11.5 kg of Chitta. Whereas last year a consignment of 7.82 kg of tobacco was seized.  Dy CM said that during last year (2022) and up to 31.08.2023, 4445 drug peddlers have been arrested in NDPS Act cases registered in the State.
This year there have been 1574 cases. Of these, 2136 male and 79 female accused have been arrested. The Deputy Chief Minister said that the state government is making efforts to conduct its financial investigation. He said that the innocent people of the state are becoming addicted to Chitta. They are being made intoxicated.

 The Deputy Chief Minister said that drug addiction is a big concern in the state. The government is making continuous efforts to control this. The government is determined to stop this. Work is being done on a war footing to stop this. For this, we will have to make joint efforts. The government will fight a decisive battle for this, and for this, there is a need to rise above politics and cooperate with everyone. He said that mere arrests would not solve the problem. All the jails in the state are filled with these people. In such a situation, it is also necessary to create awareness about this. For which the cooperation of the society is also necessary.

He said that there is an outbreak of chitta in the neighbouring states. This is also a problem for us. There is a need to strengthen the border areas. The Deputy Chief Minister said that an international gang is operating this business. Police are also using drone technology to keep an eye on Chitta smugglers. Mukesh Agnihotri said that in VIS also a law has been passed and sent to the Center that if less than 5 grams of chitta is caught then the bail of the accused should be cancelled. Till now there is a provision in the rules that they get bail.

He said that such information is also being received that the de-addiction centres in the districts are also becoming careers for drug addicts. That means Chitta is being supplied through them also. The government is investigating this direction. The Deputy Chief Minister said that a committee has been formed in this regard under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. Whereas at the district level, committees have been formed under the chairmanship of DC.

The government is working on a war footing to catch Chitta smugglers. All the assembly members will also have to discharge their responsibilities so that the state can be made drug-free. The Deputy Chief Minister said that the state’s border with other states is 360 kilometres. Chitta is being used in large quantities in these states due to which its prevalence is increasing in Himachal also.

He said that Chitta has reached tribal areas also, which has become a matter of biggest concern. He said that the government is taking decisive steps to stop this and is also confiscating their properties. An action plan is being prepared in this regard.
MLA KL Thakur wanted to know that the police force in BBN is less and there is a need to increase it.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that keeping the border sealed is a challenge. He said that the government is taking strict steps in this direction. He assured that everyone will have to participate in awareness.
The Social Justice and Empowerment Department is running five Integrated Rehabilitation Centers for Addicts under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction scheme, through NGOs. Out of these five centres, three are funded by the Government of India, located in Kullu, Una, and Hamirpur.
As of August 31 2023, in the financial year 2023-24, these centres have benefited 206, 95, and 106 beneficiaries (indoor & outdoor patients), respectively. Additionally, two State Government centres, located in Nurpur, District Kangra, and Kullu, have benefited 46 and 41 beneficiaries (indoor & outdoor patients) respectively.

Comprehensive measures are taken to help individuals overcome drug addiction, like rehabilitation programmes, counselling, medical interventions and community support. These efforts aim to provide a path of recovery and a drug-free life for those affected by addiction. State Police has launched a special campaign called “Pradhavwipe out drugs” to eradicate drug abuse in the State. This campaign is planned to be carried out in five phases, of which four phases have been completed and a fifth will be carried out soon.
An online CHATBOT- “Pol-Call-Pal” has been prepared by the State Police wherein anyone can complain about drug abuse. Several primary causes identified for driving youth towards drug use include lack of awareness about the ill effects of drugs, loss or overcontrol of parents, pressure of academic performance on students, dysfunctional families, pushing youth peer pressure, to stay trendy etc. However, any specific study or survey has not been undertaken for this purpose. A Special Parent Teacher Meeting (PTM) was organized on the occasion of “International Environment Day” with the theme by the Police Department in which approximately 16000 students from more than 150 schools of State participated.

Regular meetings are being organized with Nasha Nivaran Samities and awareness programs are also being conducted by the State Police for the safeguard of youths. The Social Justice and Empowerment Department has distributed 3,61,500 brochures and 10,000 posters in 3,615 panchayats across the state to raise awareness about the prevention of drug abuse. Furthermore, signboards were installed at every district level, displaying awareness messages related to the symptoms, causes, and side effects of drug addiction, and ways to prevent drug addiction within the respective districts.
The SJ&E department is working on an awareness generation and capacity building Plan under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) in this Financial Year 2023-24. (e) To check the drug menace in the State, especially in the border areas a co-ordination secretariat of the States of the northern region has been opened in Panchkula in which two police personnel of Himachal Pradesh Police have been deployed.

The purpose of this coordination secretariat is to prevent drug trafficking through the exchange of information related to drugs. Interstate border checks with sniffer dogs are being done by the State Police. Given the sensitivity of the State’s border with Punjab, vis-a-vis the inflow of drugs, the erstwhile Nurpur Sub-Division of Kangra District has been notified as a Police District.