BHUBANESWAR: Amid a worrying trend of youths getting increasingly addicted to drugs, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s Odisha zonal office has launched a drug awareness campaign in educational institutions.
The central agency has already conducted awareness sessions in the Indian Institute of Technology - Bhubaneswar (IIT-BBS) and Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University and received positive responses from the students.
“Our drive in the educational institutions is to sensitise youth and strengthen the fight against drugs,” said Kuldeep Sharma, assistant director of NCB Odisha zonal office. The awareness drive in educational institutions may also provide NCB with some crucial information regarding details of the youths consuming drugs or the peddlers involved in selling the contraband near their colleges.
The NCB has also planned to intensify technical and intelligence-based operations in the bordering areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. One of the major regions of ganja cultivation is in the bordering areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh from where the contraband is further smuggled to Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other states.
However, NCB will have to enhance its presence in the bordering areas of the two states to curb ganja cultivation and its supply. Sources said more officers and personnel are likely to get appointed in NCB’s Odisha office within two months. NCB’s Odisha zonal office has also stressed the timely organisation of monthly meetings among all stakeholders to discuss measures to combat drug trafficking. A new building of NCB was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar by Union Home Minister Amit Shah through virtual mode on Monday.