Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday admitted that a section of drug rehab centres working independently in a private capacity are running illegal extortion rackets, and therefore, the government has decided to appoint regulators.
Addressing the state assembly in response to TIPRA Motha MLA Brishaketu Debbarma, Dr Saha said, “The government is leaving no stone unturned to put the drug malice in check. Several independent organizations that have set up drug rehabilitation centres in different parts of the state are reportedly looting people like an extortion racket at the same time, people are working very passionately to help the government combat the deadly drug menace. Soon regulations will be rolled out from the state government’s end for the privately managed drug rehabilitation centres as well.”
In an attempt to downplay TIPRA Motha MLA’s remarks on the government’s lack of will, the Chief Minister presented a detailed account of the steps undertaken by the state government to save the state from the clutches of drugs.
“We are not going after the small peddlers anymore. A special investigation team has been constituted to look after NDPS cases. We are also in talks with the Central government to set up a small unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau. The proposal from the state government is now lying in the NCB headquarters for formal approval. The drug routes through which these illicit substances are entering the state; surveillance has been tightened in these routes to put a full stop on the narcotics smuggling,” he added.
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The Chief Minister also did not forget to hit out at the opposition CPIM that ruled Tripura for 35 long years.
“For 35 years, the only industry that thrived to its optimum level is Ganja. Over 3 crore 65 lakh Ganja saplings have been destroyed in regular drives. A police investigation has suggested that Ganja is the only endemic narcotic substance that is grown in Tripura. Other psychotropic drugs like Heroin, Yaba tablets etc enter Tripura through Mizoram from Myanmar. Mizoram and Tripura fall in the corridor through which these substances are eventually sent to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government is also worried about this illicit drug trafficking and they have expressed their concerns in the international forum,” Dr Saha pointed out.
On the scientific advances, he said, the state will soon purchase a full body scanner, six sniffer dogs have been already brought to the state for special drug-related operations and regular sensitization events are being held at the school and university level. A ten-bedded drug rehab facility is also opened at Modern Psychiatric Hospital, Agartala, he added.
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