DC Kupwara chairs NCORD meeting

Kupwara: A meeting of District Level Committee of Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) was on Friday held under the chairpersonship of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Ayushi Sudan at DC Office Complex here in order to discuss the comprehensive strategy to counter the menace of drug abuse in Kupwara district.
The DC meticulously reviewed the implementation of the measures taken and progress achieved to eliminate drug abuse and its peddling.
At the outset, the DC took a detailed appraisal from members of NCORD Committee regarding the present scenario of drug related occurrences, areas of concern, hot spots of drug abuse and its peddling.
On the occasion, Ayushi stressed Officers from all the line Departments to further intensify IEC activities, connecting communities including religious influencers and civil society members.
The DC while laying thrust on further intensifying IEC campaign at schools, colleges and Health and Wellness Centre (H&WC) levels to sensitize students and common masses about ill effects of drugs as well as encouraging healthy activities to discourage drug abuse, asked the Chief Education Officer, Nodal Officer Colleges and CMO Kupwara to organize awareness programs, rallies and capacity building cum counseling sessions on the harmful effects of drug menace in all degree colleges, educational institutions and H&WCs across the district, and align these programmes with NashaMukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA)/International Day Against Drug abuse and illicit Trafficking on 26 June.
The DC also emphasized the Officers including Enforcement agencies for strengthening intelligence networks to crack hotspots of drug abuse, identify the routes of drug peddling and obstruct this menace, besides creating greater deterrence to combat dangerous trade of drug-trafficking.
She also called for stringent action against the culprits involved in the hazardous trade of drugs.
During the meeting, the DC also asked the concerned departments to organize a destruction drive of wild cannabis at Trumukhan and other hot spots in the first week of July.
Ayushi emphasized on effective functioning of Addiction Treatment Facility Centers (ATFCs) to fight drug addiction and mitigate the sufferings of the drugs-affected persons. She also laid trust on ensuring proper counseling and rehabilitation for individuals struggling with addiction.
She urged the concerned departments to reach out to 1000 identified drug abusers and facilitate them to the ATFC and Drug De-addiction Centre.
DC directed Principal GMC to finalize the recruitment process for the staff of ATFC at an earliest. She also directed CMO Kupwara and Assistant Drug Controller to keep a close vigil on sale of expired and spurious drugs and get the samples tested from the testing labs on a routine basis.
On the occasion, Assistant Drug Controller Kupwara appraised the chair that out of total 593 medical stores across the district, CCTV cameras have been installed in 585 medical stores till date.
The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, Muhammad RoufRehman; Additional SP Kupwara, Chief Education Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Tehsildars and other concerned officers.