Terrorism in any form is not acceptable. India is one of the first in the world to be a victim of terrorism, four long decades and still grappling. Jammu and Kashmir along with neighbouring Punjab bore the brunt of the terrorism, year after year. Punjab battled it out, but unfortunately, our UT is still facing it. Along with the terrorism came the drug menace, Udata Punjab, we saw the damage done to youth and the subsequent repercussions, the generation has changed but drug addiction in Punjab is still a curse. Jammu and Kashmir, though landlocked, has still, within the last few years, become the hub of narcotics smuggling. Within a short span, our youth has turned to drugs, and we are just watching from the fence. Pakistan, despite not being in a position to handle its financial woes yet aggressively pushing drugs in Jammu and Kashmir through intercountry trade centres, border tunnels, and now drones have found narcotics terrorism to be the most lucrative business. It is a well-known fact that Afghanistan is the hub of narcotics production, and Pakistan is the transit hub. India has devised many countermeasures, like anti-drone drones, tunnel-detecting drones, border fencing, and night vision devices, but still, hundreds of kilometres of the border cannot be infiltration-proof, and the young generation is paying the price. More serious is the fact that drugs are easily available, which cannot be possible unless there is some patronage on our side of the border. Drug peddling laws have many loopholes that are exploited by the offenders, and a poor conviction rate has already compelled the High Court to appeal to JKP to impart special awareness training for the investigating officers. The absence of Gamma full-body truck scanners has further complicated things, as it is virtually impossible to body search all incoming vehicles physically in this digital age. Despite a budget of three thousand plus crores for security-related expenditure yet this important aspect of security as well as narcotics smuggling has somehow remained unimportant and unattended. Drug terrorism is spreading its tentacles rapidly, and proactive measures have to be in place. No specific narcotics reporting toll-free number; the secrecy of the informant is another issue, with the result that the public is not coming forward. LG has rightly said that this drug addiction is everybody’s problem, and unless there is mass awareness and active public participation, it is impossible to wipe it out. Mass awareness programmes at the school or college level and constant vigilance at vulnerable points are the need of the hour. Administration and society cannot shy away from their responsibility to tackle narco-terrorism. A sinister game plan is there to make our young generation of drug addicts to weaken India, a backstabbing approach, as Pakistan has repeatedly failed to destabilise India directly. Jammu and Kashmir is a hot button of narco trade but no scientific approach has been adopted, no proper FSL, no full body truck scanners, least aware IOs and on the other side the enemy has a vast network of narco-espiocrats, advantage enemy and the result is Jammu and Kashmir suffering immensely, damage to present and coming generations beyond imagination.
LG has suggested a mass movement against drugs to counter the imminent and visible threat. We are already late; proactive steps on a war footing have to be taken. Lip services and blinkered way outs won’t work now. All law enforcement agencies must coordinate and chalk out a foolproof, workable plan. Fixation of accountability at the police station level is a must. All market representatives, corporators and NGOs must be roped in; a separate call number to report narco peddlers with 100 per cent secrecy will do wonders. The condescension of no drugs must be initiated at the school level. A special “Drug Day” must be introduced in school curricula, and skits and plays on the drug menace must be conducted on that day to familiarise young minds with the dire consequences. This has to be fought at ground level, assertively.
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