Police to prepare100-day plan to check drug abuse

Vijayawada : Director general of police Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao announced that a 100 days action plan will be prepared to check the drug abuse in Andhra Pradesh and efforts will be made to make AP free from ganja and drugs.

The DGP said the police department is ready to check the activities of the drug peddlers and prevent ganja cultivation in North Coastal districts and appealed to the people to co-operate with the police department in eradicating the menace.

Dwaraka Tirumala Rao was the chief guest at the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking organised by the Vijayawada city police at Tummalapalli Vari Kalakshetram on Wednesday. The police department has created awareness among the students on the ill effects of drugs and took the pledge to eradicate the drug abuse in the state.

Addressing the students, the DGP said the consumption of drugs started around 35 years ago as a fashion by some persons and became a big menace in the state. He said even the schoolchildren are also getting addicted to the drugs now in the state.

He said the state police will prepare an action plan to check the cultivation and transportation of ganja in 100 days in the state. He said the police department would try to make AP free from drugs menace and strict vigil will be maintained on the cultivation and peddling of ganja. He said alternative livelihood sources should be provided to the ganja cultivators. He said the ganja is cultivated in the thickly forest areas in East Godavari, ASR district and parts of Visakhapatnam districts.

The DGP said specially trained staff will be posted to check the smuggling of ganja and integrated check posts will be arranged at key locations. He said the police department will work in coordination with the district officials to check ganja peddling and more forensic labs will be installed in the state.

He said more attention will be paid to increase the staff to combat the drugs menace and more Police Training Centres will be set up in the state for the capacity building of the police officials.

Commissioner of police, Vijayawada, PHD Ramakrishna warned that the youth would pay heavy price if they do not stop consumption of ganja and other substances. He urged the youth to stay away from the drugs, ganja and other narcotics.

He said the NTR district police registered 220 cases and arrested more than 900 persons in connection with the ganja and other related cases. Various departments will work in co-ordination to check ganja peddling and drug abuse. Intelligence, task force, excise and law and order departments will work together to check the drug menace under the limits of police commissionerate.

The students took the pledge to check the drug abuse in the district and state. Dr Indla Ramasubba Reddy, noted psychiatrist and counsellor, additional director of prosecutions Byra Ramakoteswara Rao and others spoke on the occasion. They urged the students to stay away from drugs and other harmful sedatives and appealed to help the police department to check drug abuse in the state.