SRINAGAR: Amid a surge in drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir, where over 68,000 kg of narcotics have been seized by law enforcement agencies in the last five years, the administration will launch a 100-day ‘Nasha Mukt’ campaign in the Union Territory from today to curb the menace.
The 100-day intensive campaign under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan is aimed at eradicating drug abuse from the Union Territory. It will be formally launched by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who will flag off a mega “padyatra” from MA Stadium in Jammu. A similar large-scale launch programme is scheduled in Srinagar during the first week of May.
The campaign will feature a series of high-impact awareness initiatives, public outreach programmes and coordinated enforcement drives to tackle both drug abuse and trafficking networks. Members of civil society, political parties, educators, sportspersons and social workers have been invited to participate in the launch.
“On the day, a pledge will be taken against drugs. This padyatra will continue for 100 days,” Sinha said, adding that the campaign is a collective mission to safeguard the future of the region’s youth. He noted that rising incidents linked to drug abuse are deeply concerning and stressed the need for strict action against drug traffickers.
Highlighting the gravity of the issue, Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir is at a critical juncture, with attempts being made to lure youth into drug addiction. He urged all sections of society to join the fight and directed law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts to dismantle trafficking networks, while also focusing on the rehabilitation of victims.
According to estimates by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, over 1.3 million adults in Jammu and Kashmir are using addictive substances, with opioids being the most commonly consumed drugs.
To ensure effective implementation of the campaign, UT and divisional-level committees have been constituted. The government has also strengthened its counter-narcotics framework, empowering the BSF and other border forces under the NDPS Act to conduct searches, seizures and arrests at international borders.
In several instances, security forces have recovered drugs dropped by drones from across the border. To counter such threats, an upgraded surveillance grid equipped with AI-based monitoring systems, radars, electro-optical sensors, night vision devices and motion detectors has been deployed, along with an Integrated Command and Control Centre to check cross-border drug smuggling.