News Source: www.punjabnewsline.com
NAWANSHAHR- Thursday, 25 December 2008: Even as nearly 70 per cent of youth in Punjab is reported to be in the grip of drugs, being smuggled, as per a secret report of state police, by well-established and well-connected people in the state, very few among the DCs, SSPs, civil surgeons and the director, social security and welfare, Punjab seem to be interested in controlling the drug menace.
As per a copy of the letter procured under RTI Act by general secretary of a local NGO, Human Empowerment League of Punjab (HELP), Parvinder Singh Kittna, after ten months of an order by PSHRC, only the SSPs of police districts of Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, Faridkot, Khanna, Batala and Jagraon and DC of Ropar and Civil Surgeon of Sangrur have so far sent their reports to ADGP,IVC-cum-Human Rights, Punjab regarding the smuggling and menace of drugs in their districts and the steps being taken by them to control the menace. It needs to be mentioned here that following a news-items published in the media, HELP, on November 28 last year, had approached the Punjab State Human Rights Commission seeking directions to the state police to initiate strict action against those involved in the murky business of drugs in Punjab which was fast becoming a threat to human life in the state.
The PSHRC, on January 3, had directed the state DGP to "take appropriate action" in the matter under intimation to the Commission as "it is definitely concerned with this menace which is blooming amongst the children and in a rapid manner threatening the life of the youth of the State of Punjab." "Such illegal activities are required to be discouraged and controlled with an iron hand and it is the primary duty of the State to ensure that every source of smuggling of drugs into Punjab from various states should be effectively curbed," had maintained the PSHRC in its order. Following the directions of PSHRC, the ADGP, IVC-cum-Human Rights, Punjab, on February 5, had asked all the DCs, SSPs, CSs and the Director, Social Security, to send their reports/comments to his office so as to enable it to proceed further in the matter.
On July 18, HELP had again approached the DGP to know the details of action and directions by him in the matter, besides seeking a copy of the report which he (DGP) had sent to PSHRC. Now, the ADGP, IVC-cum-Human Rights, in his letter dated November 17 has reported that a complete report would be sent to PSHRC only after the receipt of reports from all the districts. HELP which has lamented the nonchalant attitude of the state bureaucracy in such a serious matter as the menace of drugs has questioned the need to seek reports from the districts when the police itself had already a "secret report" containing information on the suspected people and their activities on the issue. The report was even reportedly submitted to the CM and other top echelons of the government. "Based on its report which had even specific names and addressed of those suspected to be in the business of drug smuggling, the state police chief, instead of writing to the district heads for further reports, should have immediately tightened noose on the drug traffickers", maintained Kittna who has demanded making public the top secret police report in the interest of the state.
-By Verinder Sareen
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