Home Minister Bamang Felix discusses drugs menace with DGP of Arunachal Pradesh

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Home Minister Bamang Felix and the new Director-General of Police (DGP) of Arunachal Pradesh, Satish Golcha, had a discussion on the Arunachal Pradesh Psychoactive Substances Policy 2021 on Saturday.

The policy, which has been adopted by the State under the patronage of Chief Minister Pema Khandu to curb the drug menace in the State, was discussed during DGP Golcha's call on the Home Minister at his office here. It was the first official meeting of the two after Golcha took charge as DGP Arunachal Pradesh.

Following the policy, the Minister emphasized fighting the drug menace in three principal ways - Supply Reduction, Demand Reduction and Harm Reduction.

Under the Supply Reduction front, emphasis was laid on enforcement and strict action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against drug dealers and its networks and also working on alternative livelihoods for those engaged in illicit cultivation through crop substitution by promoting other crops and horticulture.

Minister Felix also stressed detecting early signs of addiction in adolescents and youths, counselling of parents and communities backed by sustained IEC activities, and providing alternate activities for youths in the field of sports, art and culture, etc.

As for the Harm Reduction front, the Minister said that treatment and rehabilitation, introducing Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) in District Hospital OPDs, etc., should be the way forward.

Several other issues about security, policing challenges in the State and police welfare were also discussed.

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