HT Correspondent
YUPIA, Aug 9: The District-Level NCORD (Narcotics Coordination) Committee convened at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall on Friday to review progress since its previous meeting on June 13 and to chart a coordinated strategy against the growing drug problem in Papum Pare district.
According to an official statement, the meeting focused on both enforcement and public health concerns, with officials warning of the urgent need for joint efforts to combat the menace.
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Superintendent of Police Taru Gusar sounded a strong warning about the alarming rise in HIV and hepatitis cases among arrested drug addicts, calling it a “ticking time bomb” that could turn the Itanagar Capital Region into a hub for such diseases if not addressed swiftly.
He stressed the importance of greater community involvement and said health complications often result in addicts being released before completing their stipulated detention periods.
The SP called for a robust monitoring system to ensure timely medical intervention for affected individuals.
Addressing the economic dimension of the problem, ADC Sagalee Higio Yame proposed the promotion of dragon fruit and kiwi cultivation as part of alternative livelihood programmes in areas impacted by illicit crop cultivation.
SDO Doimukh Kipa Raja highlighted security risks posed by overgrown bushes along railway tracks, noting that despite repeated reminders and in-person meetings, the Railway Authorities had yet to clear the vegetation.
He said these neglected areas had become “safe havens for drug peddlers, thieves, and other anti-social elements” and urged the NCORD Chairperson to enforce a strict clearance deadline.
CO Leporiang Chukhu Taba reported an increase in vigilance in collaboration with local residents and announced the installation of an anonymous complaint and drop box to encourage the public to report illegal activities.
The Drug Control Officer informed the meeting that no Schedule X licences—required to sell certain high-risk medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945—had been issued to pharmacies in Papum Pare.
This effectively makes methadone sales illegal in the district.
The statement said that as part of follow-up measures from the previous meeting, awareness campaigns had been intensified by the Education and ICDS departments.
Other issues discussed included monitoring illicit cultivation of poppy and cannabis crops, promoting anti-drug awareness programmes in high-risk regions, supervising de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, implementing alternative development projects in drug-affected areas and upgrading intelligence-sharing mechanisms among enforcement agencies.
