Pubdate: Wed, 26 Dec 2007
Source: Telegraph, The (India)
Copyright: 2007 The Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.telegraphindia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2836

NGO FILLS GAPS IN DRUG CRUSADE

The administration has handpicked an NGO to  complete a task
that police started but found difficult  to wrap up -- stamp out the
menace of drug trafficking  and abuse in this Upper Assam town for
good.

Pressured by the media and various organisations, the  police had
embarked on a mission to "finish off" the  drug cartel active and even
made a series of arrests,  only to realise that the law was not enough
to keep the  guilty people shackled.

"Arrested peddlers and addicts come out of jail and  regroup in no
time. They also change their modus  operandi," a police officer said.

The district administration has now engaged an NGO to  conduct a
follow-up programme in the areas identified  as prone to drug
trafficking and abuse, using  counselling and rehabilitation as tools.

The programme is being conducted in association with  the office of
the joint director of health services and  with funds from the
National Rural Health Mission.

The Association for Socio-cultural and Environmental  Development has
been assigned the task of conducting 18  sensitisation and awareness
camps in the slums of  Dibrugarh town. The first one was held recently
on the  premises of Diamond Sporting Club at Loharpatty.

"Our objective is to visit areas where drug trafficking  and abuse are
rampant. We will use a series of street  plays, roadside poster
exhibitions, door-to-door  counselling and free health and blood
screening to  combat the menace," the director and chairperson of the 
NGO, Ranjita Bordoloi, said.

A "special action team" arrested more than 30 people,  mostly peddlers
and addicts, during a prolonged  crackdown on the drug trade. But just
when everybody  thought that the menace would not rear its head again,
 the network of traffickers was back in action.

Dr A. Khan, who has been treating addicts for several  years, said
follow-up action was as crucial to the  success of a crusade against
drugs as sustained  policing.

"The action initiated by the administration and the  health department
with the NGO's assistance is a step  in the right direction. I have
always maintained that  there should be a systematic follow-up of such
cases,  which includes medication, social nursing and  psychological
treatment for addicts. The NGO will have  to work really hard to get
positive results."

The chairman of the Dibrugarh Municipal Board, Biraj  Das said
uprooting the drug menace was imperative to  restore the glory of this
160-year-old town.

"We cannot progress if we do not get rid of this  menace; we are
prepared to support the NGO in its  mission of sensitisation and
awareness." Manas Jyoti  Dutta, a journalist who has written
extensively on the  drug trade in Dibrugarh, called for a sustained
effort  from the police to stop drug traffickers from  regrouping.
"The police will have to change their  methods of dealing with the
drug mafia. They will have  to follow up the arrest of any person
related to the  trade. It will be back to square one after peddlers
are  released if the police sit tight," he said.
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