The High Court has ordered the Police Department and Anti-Narcotics Cell to identify places with maximum complaints of drug selling.
CHANDIGARH
The Punjab & Haryana High Court has taken a tough stand against those selling drugs outside educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The High Court has ordered the Police Department and Anti-Narcotics Cell to identify the places where maximum complaints of drug selling are being received, and take action together to break the back of drug smugglers.
By giving this order, the High Court disposed of the petition pending for the last 10 years regarding drug trade. The High Court said that instructions have already been issued to the Punjab government to control drug abuse. Now, Haryana and Chandigarh administrations have also been ordered to implement these instructions.
The High Court has said in the order that the District Education Officer should prepare a list of those schools around which the maximum number of complaints of drug selling are received, so that effective action can be taken there. Along with this, to strictly stop the increasing trend of drugs among minors and youth, policemen in plain clothes should be deployed outside educational institutions, schools and colleges so that no drug peddler is seen outside these educational institutions.
The High Court has said in the order that there have been continuous complaints of drug trade in jails. Keeping this in view, sniffer dogs should be deployed in the jail, so that every person and goods coming here can be checked and it can be ascertained whether drugs are being brought. Apart from this, the prisoners in the jail should also be examined. If prisoners are found intoxicated, they should be sent to de-addiction center along with treatment. Along with this, before arresting an accused and presenting him in the court, his medical examination should be done and records should be maintained.
The High Court said that rehabilitation of those coming out of the quagmire of drug addiction is necessary. The government should build rehabilitation centers in every district within six months. A psychiatrist and counsellor should be appointed in every centre. The counsellor who is appointed in the rehabilitation center should visit all the schools in the area and make the students aware of the ill-effects of drug addiction.