CM KCR for clipping wings of Udta Telangana

Hyderabad: In the wake of recent criticism against the government that the city is becoming a major hub for drugs like heroin, coming from Nigeria and ganja from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and that the dealers are encouraging cultivation of ganja in Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad district bordering Maharashtra, the TS government has decided to end the menace with iron hand.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who held a high-level meeting on the issue on Wednesday, directed the police, excise and prohibition departments to bring all educational institutions under surveillance. He asked them to lay greater focus on all educational institutions in Hyderabad. He asked the officials to prepare an action plan to put an end to the link between the drug peddlers and the students by using latest technology. He asked them to reach out to the pedlars though the drug users.

When he was informed that the youth were forming WhatsApp groups, exchanging messages and taking the drugs and that innocent youth were falling prey to the drug peddlers, it was decided to constitute a special cell headed by DG (Director General of Police) rank police officer, strengthen the check posts at borders and create a special wing in the Intelligence department to check the drug sale at every level in the State.

Officers told the CM about the fact that some people were resorting to suicides when these drugs were not available and de-addiction is a complicated and long procedure.

KCR told the officials to focus on surveillance at the border points between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This he said was important in the wake of reports that ganja smuggling from AP agency areas was rampant. The police and excise officials were asked to visit the fields in the State and take stringent measures to stop illegal cultivation of ganja.

The CM said before the situation goes out of hands it should be controlled. It is unfortunate that while the State is making rapid strides in development, the availability of the banned drugs has increased, he observed.

He directed them to eradicate ganja mafia. "Don't spare the criminals whoever they may be," KCR said and announced cash awards, rewards and special promotions to those who play active role in eradicating the menace.

The Chief Minister said that farmers who were caught cultivating ganja would be declared ineligible for schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima and pattas of lands given under ROFR (Recognition of Forest Rights) in the agency areas would be cancelled. He also suggested that lessons on ill-effects of ganja should be included in the school syllabus. Speaking on the occasion, DGP Mahender Reddy has asked the officials to take stringent measures to identify the hotspots of the ganja consumption centres and take stringent measures to control them. "Measures will be taken to coordinate with Vizag police and Malkangiri police," he said. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said that a step forward is taken with the coordinated efforts of the Excise and Police departments.