ITANAGAR, Feb 8: Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar today while attending a meeting of the State Level Technical Expert Committee here at the CS Conference Hall in Civil Secretariat expressed deep concern over drug menace in the state.
While stating that eight districts namely, Namsai, Lohit, Dibang Valley, Upper Siang, Anjaw, Changlang, Tirap and West Kameng are amongst the 272 worst drug affected districts in the country, Kumar informed that based on reports that many  government employees are involved in drug abuse, it has been decided that toxicology tests will be done in these districts. Strong action will be initiated against such officials, he added. “Destruction of illicit opium or cannabis cultivation is not enough to curb the menace. Education on drug/substance abuse in secondary and senior secondary schools and involvement of women and PRI members etc. in the fight is equally necessary as they have been found as a preferred intervention in terms of sensitive handling of the matter,” he contended. They should be trained to undertake public education on the menace of drugs along with proper sensitization and orientation of people to undertake cultivation of kiwi, large cardamom, ginger etc. as alternate cash crops, the CS stressed. Considering the need for manpower and logistics, he advised their optimal use through reorientation and refurbishing.
To address the growing menace of substance/drug abuse in Arunachal Pradesh, the State Level Technical Expert Committee (SLTEC) was tasked in November 2020 to prepare a Comprehensive Action Plan. Accordingly a team of 22 subject experts from Police, Departments of Forest, Planning, Agriculture, Horticulture, Law & Justice, Administrative Reforms, NDPS (AP), SBI (Itanagar), Skill Development Department etc. was constituted under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Mamta Riba. As a way forward, the SLTEC recommended that the executing committee of NCORD may be allowed to function as the State Task Force to oversee the implementation of programmes with bi-monthly meets.
It also recommended a study on ‘Situational Analysis on Substance Abuse’ in the state and its management with guidance from the National Institute of Social Defence and formation of a study group for a comprehensive baseline survey on substance abuse, HIV, sex workers and other vulnerable groups through competent survey consultants.
Secretary (Agriculture & Horticulture) Bidol Tayeng and other high-level officials attended the meeting. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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