RAJASTHAN NEWS : In compliance with the directions of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, a meeting of the district level committee of the Narco Coordination Centre was held at the Collectorate auditorium on Monday. Presiding over the meeting, District Collector Dr Jitendra Kumar Soni directed the officials to implement an effective action plan on the ground to wean away the youth from drug addiction in the district. He also directed the officials to take strict action against illegal production, storage and transportation of drugs.
In the meeting, District Collector Dr. Jitendra Kumar Soni released the poster of Tobacco Free Police Station under the Nasha Mukt Jaipur campaign. He directed the officials to take effective action against all types of irregularities including smoking in public places as well as those selling tobacco products at shops located near schools and colleges, checking of medicine shops and sale of banned medicines, sale of medicines beyond the prescribed limit, sale of medicines without license.
In the meeting, the District Collector directed the officials of the Drug Control Department to motivate the shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras at 100 per cent medical stores in Jaipur district. Officials of the Drug Control Department informed that the action of suspension and cancellation of license is being carried out against the drug sellers who violate the rules and sell the banned drugs. At the same time, he stressed on conducting intensive awareness campaigns to save the youth from falling into the clutches of drugs. He also directed to motivate more and more youth to take e-swear under Nasha Mukt Jaipur Abhiyan to make it a people’s campaign.
District Superintendent of Police (Rural) Anand Sharma said that the COTPA Act, 2003 has been enacted to control cigarette and tobacco related products. Under this Act, smoking in public places, sale of tobacco, and advertisement related to tobacco are prohibited Violation of the COTPA Act is punishable by fine and imprisonment. He said that sale of tobacco and drugs to children below 18 years of age is prohibited. He said that special awareness campaign Operation Knock Out is also being run by the police department to keep the students studying in schools and colleges away from the habit of drugs.
The meeting was informed that under Section 68 (f) of the NDPS Act, there is a provision to conduct financial investigation against the offenders of the narcotics case. Under the provisions of the Act, properties acquired from illicit drug trade, whether in the name of any other family member or benami, up to a period of six years prior to the trial, can be seized or frozen. Under the Act, there is also a provision to detain smugglers of drugs recovered in commercial quantities and traffickers habituated to such practices in jail for up to one year. He said that the public can lodge complaints against such criminals on the Manas Portal or Helpline Number 1933.
He directed the officers of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department to take effective action against the illegal de-addiction centres operating without license in the district and to provide the benefits of the scheme to the families of the identified persons of Navjeevan Yojana.
Additional Deputy Commissioner, Suram Chand Sharma; Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Jitender Mishra; PO ICDS Anu Bhel; General Manager DIC, Sansar Chand; Deputy District Election Officer, Rajeev Magotra besides other nodal officers, returning officers and other election officials attended the meeting.