Kerala: Govt to tighten legal measures against drug menace

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Government and opposition joined hands to tackle the issue of increasing drug menace in the state. Though the opposition sought a leave for adjournment motion on the issue on Wednesday and the speaker refused it based on CM Pinarayi Vijayan's reply, the opposition threw its weight behind the CM who announced steps to tackle the drug menace.
Vijayan proposed three major steps to tighten legal measures being taken against those involved in trade and distribution of drugs. He said that while filing the chargesheet in court against repeat offenders in drug-related cases, details of their previous conviction or involvement in such cases will be included to ensure maximum punishment under Sections 31 and 31A of the NDPS Act.
He said though there is a provision to execute a bond that NDPS convicts will not commit any such offence, it is not being used now. It will be enforced from now. Vijayan also made it clear that the prevention of illicit traffic in NDPS Act (PITNDPS), 1988, has provisions to hold habitual offenders under preventive custody for two years. Such orders can be issued by an officer who has the rank of government secretary and this provision will be pressed into action too, he added.
Additionally, government will prepare a database of such offenders along the lines of Kaapa. A special drive against drugs will be undertaken in Kerala next week and officers from the police and excise department will be given special training on how to effectively use NDPS Act and PITNDPS Act. Places of worship will be requested to urge all believers to join the fight against drug menace, said Vijayan.
VD Satheesan said the opposition has decided to give full support to the government in this matter. In the last two years, 1,978 persons, arrested in drug-related cases, were aged below 21 years. At least five-fold of this number are yet to be nabbed in such cases by law enforcement agencies, he said.
Satheesan said that the government must immediately increase the strength of excise and police officers and the government should consider the Haryana model that steeply increased sports infrastructure to divert the energy of youth to sporting events.
Earlier, seeking a leave for adjournment motion, PC Vishnunath said the state stood second, next to Punjab, in terms of drug use. Speaker MB Rajesh, while dismissing the notice, congratulated the government and opposition for standing together in the fight against drugs.