RAIPUR: Nijaat (Riddance) as a crusade has gained ground against drug abuse and trafficking, strengthened actions to make choices to live a healthy life and secure an ultimate objective to achieve a drug-addiction free Koriya district in north Chhattisgarh.
Any region can remain vulnerable to illegal drugs or it’s peddling. And its a tough task for law enforcement agencies to cope with the challenge and check related crimes.
The Koriya police took the onus to wipe out the abuse of illicit drugs, narcotics and bootlegging while simultaneously preventing its smuggling or trading through its Nijaat drive. The district took a three-prong strategy: tough action, intensive awareness, counselling of addicted ones.
The mobilisation campaign began in July this year by the Koriya police in collaboration with the people including the people’s representatives and the women at the grassroots level.
The push got a further boost with the positive evaluation and acclamation from celebrities, film actors, noted folk singers and opinion makers.
The campaign got the major impetus as it worked in consonance with the directive of the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel to the state police to swiftly act and prevent drug smuggling.
To begin with, the Koriya police succeeded to convince the people interacting with them, particularly the youths and women about the harmful consequences of drug addiction and making a personal choice to live a healthy life. Lives of hundreds of families are filled with joys as affected members are now breaking the cycle of addiction.
“We succeeded to rope in the cooperation of the masses for our campaign intended towards accomplishing the dream of turning Koriya district free from drug abuse and trafficking. The people began taking a pledge, supported us even as we scaled up our enforcement within and created a deterrent impact against illegal drug business and trafficking”, said Santosh Kumar Singh, the Koriya district superintendent of police, who pioneered the drive with intensified efforts.
The campaign saw wall paintings, rallies by youths and students, hoarding, organising rangoli during festive occasions in support of Nijaat campaign, bike and bicycle rallies against the social crime like substance abuse or addiction and infused better understanding of the threat.
The purposefully driven goal witnessed intensified dedicated efforts and within a short span of five months saw 887 cases registered. The Koriya police in cooperation with the people arrested 923 drug traffickers, paddlers and bootleggers.
Rohit Gupta, 30 and Ammu Kumar, 25 (both drug addicts) are among the hundreds who are seeking counselling and treatment at a major Opioid Substitution Therapy and de-addiction rehabilitation centre facilitated by the police in the district having over 8 lakh population.