High Court seeks info on implementation of drug policy

Source: greaterkashmir.com

The High Court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to inform it by July 31 about the steps taken to implement the notified drug policy in the state. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar sought the status report about the implementation of the policy after additional advocate general Shah Aamir, on behalf of the government, told the court that the drug policy has been finalised.    

“We have finalised the policy and even placed it on record,” Shah told the court. Senior advocate Jahangir Iqbal Ganai, who assists the court as amicus curiae, submitted that the drug menace is a serious issue in J&K and is a gnawing problem.

“It requires a concerted effort and an unbending resolve to do away with this menace,” he said.  

He said a communication from the state government has been sent to the Center seeking release of funds for setting up de-addiction centers in the state.

Seeking its affidavit, the court directed the central government to inform it by July 31 about the steps taken with regard to de-addiction and rehabilitation centers as noted by court order dated April 4, 2018 and re-iterated on July 24, 2018.

The High Court had last year directed the Joint Secretary (J&K Affairs), Ministry of Home Affairs New Delhi to inform it about the steps taken for providing drug de-addiction centers in the State.

The court had directed Assistant Solicitor General of India Tahir Shamsi to file status report with regard a communication pertaining to release of funds for establishing drug de-addiction centers in the state.

According to the state government the communication has been sent by its director general of police to the joint secretary (J&K affairs), Union ministry of home affairs, requesting release of funds for setting up of 23 new drug de-addiction centers in the state.

A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the state seeking directions for devising a comprehensive drug de-addiction policy for the state.

The PIL says that in J&K, particularly in Kashmir, the WHO guidelines, national mental health programmes and policies have been completely ignored.