Kargil: The Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kargil, Imteeaz Kacho chaired the District-level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) meeting in his office chamber on Saturday.
The meeting was focussed on strengthening coordination among departments to effectively combat drug abuse and trafficking in Kargil District.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kargil (Member Convener, NCORD), District Social Welfare Officer, Kargil; Representative of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), District Drugs Controller; Chairman, In-charge SIT, Anti-Narcotic; Child Welfare Committee; representatives of Education Department, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Further, the meeting was attended virtually by Lav Kumar Singh, representative of Zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau, North Zone, Srinagar.
ADC Imteeaz Kacho was informed that 124 drug-related cases have been reported in the District with a notable concentration in the Drass and Sankoo Sub-Divisions.
While highlighting the urgent need for effective inter-departmental coordination to address this concern, he pointed out that one of the often overlooked root causes is the role of parents who unknowingly expose minors to addictive habits by sending them to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products. This, he said, is often the first step towards substance abuse.
He also drew attention to the misuse of prescribed medicines, where patients, instead of using the medication as advised, develop dependency thus leading to addiction.
The ADC directed the Health Department to closely monitor such instances/practices and to ensure that medical prescriptions are used responsibly.
The participants of the meeting further discussed the issue of drug peddlers including individuals from other places of the country and abroad as well as locals who are involved in illegal trafficking.
It was noted that while narcotic plants such as poppy are not cultivated in Ladakh, drugs are being smuggled into the region, often through truck drivers and labourers from other States/UTs.
The ADC emphasized that efforts must be made to strengthen checks on cross-border movement and smuggling routes.
Kacho also held virtual discussions with officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau (North Zone), during which the need for availability of drug detection kits was raised. He suggested the procurement of such kits to assist enforcement agencies in handling suspicious activities effectively.
Furthermore, the ADC directed the School Education Department to organize regular awareness campaigns in schools and colleges and the Health Department to strictly ensure that no tobacco or cigarette shops operate within 100 meters of educational institutions.
In conclusion, Kacho emphasized the need for mass awareness through the involvement of religious leaders, NGOs, YouTubers and influencers while stating that religion holds strong influence on society and can play a vital role in changing attitudes toward drug abuse.
He encouraged the use of reels, short videos and community messages to spread awareness and strengthen the fight against drugs.
