Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Oct 7: Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma today chaired a meeting to review and strengthen measures against drug abuse and narcotic trade in the district.
The meeting focused on assessing the current situation across subdivisions and tehsils with SDMs and Tehsildars presenting detailed reports on the prevalence of drug abuse, instances of peddling and steps taken so far to curb the menace.
The Deputy Commissioner expressed concern over the rising trend and stressed the need for coordinated and intensified action.
The meeting was attended by SSP Shafket Hussain Bhat; ADC Tahir Mustafa Malik; PO ICDS Khalid Hussain Wafa; ACR Mohd Sayeed; SDMs; Principal GDC Mendhar Mohammad Azam; Prof. Shamim Banday; Prof. Fateh Mohammad Bassi; CMO Dr. Parvaiz Ahmed Khan; Tehsildar Haveli Azhar Majid; Tehsildar Mandi, Ashfaq Hussain, Tehsildar Mendhar Rahul Basotra and others.
The Education Department was instructed to intensify awareness campaigns in schools and colleges and monitor shops in the vicinity of educational institutions to prevent sale of any drug-related substances.
Tehsildars in coordination with police were directed to establish nakas (checkpoints) to detect drug users and peddlers. Simultaneously, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) was asked to launch a special drive for conducting substance abuse test for commercial vehicle drivers.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shafket Hussain Bhat emphasized timely reporting of any suspicious activities or drug peddlers by officials for swift action.
He also recommended the involvement of police personnel in morning school assemblies to educate students about the dangers of drug use.
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