Ladakh forms District-level NCORD committees in five new districts

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 6: The Union Territory administration in Ladakh has set up District Level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) committees for its five newly created districts of Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass.

This initiative aimed at strengthening the coordination among stakeholders to tackle policy and operational challenges through the NCORD framework.

Each committee will be headed by the respective District Magistrate as Chairperson, with the Superintendent of Police serving as the Member Convenor.

The panels will also include local military representatives alongside officials from the health, school education, social welfare, forest, agriculture, excise, and drug control departments.

The primary mandate of these committees is to exchange intelligence on drug trafficking trends and monitor investigations with cross-state implications.

They are also tasked with tracking and stopping the illicit cultivation of poppy and cannabis, while introducing alternative development programmes for farmers in affected areas.

Additionally, the committees will launch anti-drug awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, assess the requirement for advanced drug detection equipment, and supervise local de-addiction and rehabilitation centres.