Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Over a year after allegations of involvement of police officials in drug smuggling triggered a tug of war between DGP-rank officers, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today directed ADGP (STF/Drugs) Gurpreet Deo to identify and act against police officials found to be involved with drug traffickers, especially those posted in the border districts of the state.
Chairing a meeting, the CM directed the ADGP to form two STF teams in all border districts to work in coordination with the police officials concerned and maintain strict vigil over their nefarious activities to eradicate the menace.
Last year, the first STF head, Harpreet Singh Sidhu, had completed a probe into the police official/politician-peddler nexus in drugs smuggling. But the report is yet to be made public. Sidhu was later shifted out of the STF.
He also asked the State Advocate General to form a panel of eminent legal luminaries, including retired judges, lawyers, legal experts and jurists, to impart practical training to the police personnel to enable them to effectively present theircases in the courts. Such hands-on training would assist the police officials handling legal cases against drug traffickers/peddlers/smugglers in an effective and result-oriented manner.
The CM appreciated the success of “Buddy” and “DAPO” programmes in sensitising people against the ill-effects of drugs. He asked the Additional Chief Secretary Health to get an evaluation study done by the AIIMS, New Delhi, on the de-addiction practices at the OOAT Clinics, to further strengthen these clinics.
He also asked the Health Department to examine the feasibility of giving requisite dose of Buprenorphine on a weekly basis, as in most cases the addicts were daily wage earners and labourers and could not spend time waiting in queues to get their medication.
Tells ADGP to form two STF teams in border districts
At a meeting, Capt Amarinder Singh directed ADGP Gurpreet Deo to form two Special Task Force (STF) teams in all border districts to work in coordination with the police officials concerned and maintain strict vigil over the nefarious activities of drug traffickers to eradicate the menace.
