VISAKHAPATNAM: With ganja smuggling continuing unabated in the district, authorities are planning to set up a special task force to check the illegal trade.
HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Sunday said that the task force, comprising officials from police and excise departments, would conduct raids on pubs, lodges, parks and other vulnerable areas where drugs are sold or consumed.
“Strong action including issuing of the non-bailable warrant will be taken against those who consume or supply contraband. Plans are afoot to book the smugglers under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The issue will be discussed in the upcoming Cabinet meeting,” the minister said.
With several incidents of school students falling prey to ganja addiction coming to light, especially in the neighbouring state of Telangana, the minister conducted a meeting with the heads of schools in Visakhapatnam on Sunday and told them to follow the guidelines. He said that Hyderabad had witnessed several cases of students taking to drugs of late.
“As Vizag has a scope of catching up to the trend, it is high time we all took precautionary measures as a number of people from other states are migrating to Vizag. We have instructed school managements to take several measures,” the minister told the media after the meeting.
The class teachers have been instructed to keep a watch on the behaviour of students. The school managements have been told to interact with the school drivers, workers and other staff to gather the details pertaining to students’ behaviour on campuses. Apart from that, the schools will discuss students’ suspicious behaviour, if any, during parent-teacher meetings. The minister also advised the parents to watch their wards as to how they were spending their pocket money.
“The schools have been asked to bring their campuses under CCTV surveillance if they don’t have one already. Soon a toll-free number will be set up to receive public complaints related to drug cases,” he said.
Another meeting will be conducted with officials of Intermediate, Degree and other college managements on Tuesday to discuss measures to be taken against drugs, said Ganta Srinivasa Rao.