In an attempt to tackle the drug problem in Punjab, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government to establish rehabilitation centres in every district within a period of six months and appoint a psychiatrist in them to counsel drug abusers.
Psychiatrists have been asked to visit schools to talk to students regarding the ill-effects of drugs, while the schools have been directed to appoint the senior-most teacher as nodal officer to counsel the students on every Friday. The teacher can summon the parents of students who are found to be using drugs of any kind, according to the order passed by the division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Harinder Singh Sindhu.
The court further ordered the state to depute policemen around educational institutions to nab drug peddlers. The local intelligence units have also been directed to keep a close watch on tea stalls, tuck shops and dhabas to check illegal sale of drugs.
Directing the state to launch special awareness drives through media, the division bench asked the Punjab government to register cases against drug kingpins under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at the time of lodging of FIR under the NDPS Act and further asked it to even attach their properties provisionally if necessary.
“The director general of police, Punjab, is directed to revamp, restructure and strengthen the Special Task Force,” reads the judgement, adding the prison staff be also sensitised regarding detection and seizing of the drugs in prison. “Every inmate entering in the prison shall be tested for addiction and shall be de-addicted if necessary,” the order read.
Calling for a coordination between schools, police department and health authorities, the state government has been directed to ensure a mandatory chapter on drug abuse and its ill-effects in the syllabus for class XI and XII students. The schools and higher educational institutions have also been directed to establish anti-drug clubs to promote a drug-free life.
