JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today suggested slapping of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against chronic drug peddlers in the state.
Mehbooba was chairing a meeting with district superintendents of police and range DIGs of the Jammu province here.
She also suggested setting up of de-addiction centres for the rehabilitation of the affected youth.
Terming the drug addiction a challenge to the society, the chief minister directed the police to deal strongly in wiping out the menace of drug abuse and its transportation in the province.
Mehbooba sought feedback on drug abuse in Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu and other districts where the prevalence of the menace has been reported considerably.
She directed constitution of specialised teams in every district to track down the menace.
The chief minister directed the district SPs to visit periodically the distant and far off areas of their respective districts to get a feel of the needs and difficulties of the people.
She also directed them to keep liaison with the community leaders in sensitive areas for maintaining peace.
Mehbooba specifically directed the district SPs of Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban and Doda to ensure smooth traffic movement on the national highways and be available to stranded passengers in case of accidents and exigencies.
Director General of Police S P Vaid briefed the chief minister about the situation in the border areas, law and order, crime and drug abuse in the Jammu province.
He said during the eight months of this year, the police, on the directions of the chief minister, has confiscated 40 kg of heroine, 580 kg of charas, 142 kg of ganja and 60,000 capsules of different kinds from various areas of the province.
Issues like setting up of forensic labs at range levels, demand of bunkers in border areas, manpower shortage in newly carved districts, auction of condemned vehicles, need for amendment in traffic rules and enhancing penalties, improving the criminal justice system and use of video conferencing for recording statements of jail inmates also came up for discussion in the meeting.