The South West Khasi Hills unit of the Khasi Students Union (KSU) has appealed to Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh for rehabilitation centres in the district to help drug addicts shake their devastating habit.
A KSU delegation and representatives of eight villages in SWKH met Lyngdoh today on the subject.
Speaking to reporters, KSU unit president Forwardman Nongrem said the minister assured them that he will discuss the matter with the authorities concerned.
The KSU also told Lyngdoh that the anti-narcotics taskforce (ANTF) has been ineffective in the district as it never apprehends drug peddlers or users.
“We also suggested that there should be a mandatory follow-up procedure of those arrested in drug cases so that the same activities are not repeated and the offenders are brought back into the mainstream,” Nongrem said, adding that they also suggested to include youth organisations and Dorbar Shnongs in the district or block level committee on drug abuse with clear guidelines.
The KSU opined that it would be more effective to empower the Dorbar Shnongs combat the problem of drug abuse by permitting them to form village-level committees on drug abuse.
Meanwhile, on the repeated claims that police and drug dealers have an unholy alliance that has allowed the problem to grow, Nongrem stated that the police must act to combat such allegations. “If the police department wants to save its image in the district, then it should take the drug problem seriously.”
