The review of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan by LG comes at a time when UT is confronting a deeply disturbing and rapidly worsening drug addiction crisis. The urgency reflected in the call for a “massive crackdown” is not misplaced. On the ground, the situation has already crossed the threshold of concern and entered a phase of alarming proliferation. Drug addiction cases across the UT have been rising steadily and, by most indicators, exponentially. This trend points to an uncomfortable but undeniable reality: narcotics are easily available, widely accessible, and deeply entrenched within local distribution networks. Such accessibility cannot exist without systemic gaps in enforcement. Despite periodic crackdowns and seizures, the persistence of supply chains suggests that existing efforts have not been sufficient to dismantle the core of the problem.
A critical flaw in the current approach lies in its visible skew towards apprehending small-time peddlers, while the larger, more organised drug syndicates continue to operate with relative impunity. This imbalance not only limits the impact of enforcement actions but also allows the backbone of the narco-economy to remain intact. As long as the higher echelons of drug cartels evade the law, the cycle of supply and addiction will persist unabated. The onus, therefore, squarely rests on the Jammu & Kashmir Police to recalibrate its strategy. Intelligence-driven operations targeting the entire supply chain-from cross-border trafficking routes to local distribution hubs-must replace fragmented, piecemeal interventions. A war footing approach, as implied by the Lieutenant Governor, is no longer optional but essential. Without clearly defined responsibility at the level of individual police stations and district units, enforcement risks becoming diffused and ineffective. A system of fixed accountability, backed by measurable outcomes and weekly performance reviews, is necessary to ensure sustained pressure on drug networks. The fight against narcotics cannot be episodic; it must be continuous, coordinated, and result-oriented.
While awareness campaigns, institutional counselling, and rehabilitation infrastructure remain important pillars, their effectiveness is inherently limited in the face of unchecked availability. Prevention, in this context, must begin with choking the supply. Once addiction takes hold, recovery is a long, complex, and uncertain process. Jammu & Kashmir stands at a critical juncture. The drug menace, if not decisively contained now, risks spiralling further out of control, with severe social and security implications. The message from the top is clear; what remains to be seen is whether it translates into tangible, ground-level outcomes.
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