The number of drug addicts in Meghalaya has reached a staggering 2.5 lakh, including women and minors.
This was revealed by Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh while speaking to media persons here today.
“In a State with a population of 35 lakh, if 2.5 lakh are drug addicts, the situation is rather grim,” Lyngdoh said.
Stressing on the importance of reinforcing the Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) at key entry points of the State to curb the entry of drugs, Lyngdoh also said that the State government is facing dearth of trained manpower to counsel and help drug addicts lead a normal life.
“The problem here is not about availability of halls or spaces but the lack of trained manpower which can handle these cases. It is not a facility where you keep a person in your custody and feed him. More than anything, they require professional help and professional counseling,” he said.
Lyngdoh said the State government has appealed the dorbar shnongs to donate late for setting up of rehabilitation camps.
“We are looking at plots of land in which the government can set-up the facilities or if they have the community halls which can be utilised”.
During the last general meeting convened by the Chief Minister, dorbar shnongs were invited and the government made an open offer. A few responded but some of these offers still lack the required parameters, he added.
He informed that under the Drug Reduction Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM) all departments are working in coordination and the success rate in tackling drug menace in the state has gone up to 20 per cent because of the active support extended by traditional institutions and NGOs..
Meanwhile, as part of DREAM a cheque of Rs 15, 65,275 was released today to the Mawlai Town Dorbar.
This is the second instalment of funding from the state government. Rs 6 lakh was paid last year to the dorbar to facilitate the anti-drug campaign, wherein around 30 number of drug addicts were given counselling as well as livelihood programs.
“With today’s release of funds the town dorbar will be in a better position to further amplify its activities and also involve more of these drug users, who have in the first instance a good number of them have returned to normal social life and few have also gone back to their families,” Lyngdoh said.
