HM calls for strict monitoring to weed out ganja menace

Visakhapatnam: Most offenders who committed crimes across Andhra Pradesh were said to be in intoxicated condition, observed home minister Vangalapudi Anitha.

Holding a meeting with the district SPs in the state on Tuesday through a video conference, she stated that the offenders were attacking even the police these days in such a condition.

Effective plans are in place to curb drug menace at the grassroots level, the home minister said, adding that the cannabis crop is being traced through technology to destroy it. In order to control drug abuse in the state, a sub-committee was constituted by the state government. Apart from carrying out special drives to eradicate drugs in the districts, the stress is also on rewarding those who give a tip-off to the police on ganja smuggling, she informed.

However, she acknowledged that there is no proper infrastructure or investigative devices for the police to crack the cases in a fast-track mode.

Vulnerable spots are being identified to curb ganja consumption and its illegal sale. Further, patrolling has been intensified in such identified zones, Anitha mentioned.

“The entire system has gone for a toss in the past five years and the state government is making all efforts to place it back on track,” she said.

The home minister informed that perpetrators are not leaving social media platforms and that she was not an exception to the trolling as well. “Steps are afoot to eliminate fear among people to approach police and confidence would be instilled among them that police means protection. Soon, the cops will also be considered for weekly offs and their welfare will be taken care of,” she added.