Rising Chitta menace: HP assembly resolves ‘making NDPS act more stringent against drug trafficking
Shimla, Dec 21
Favouring amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to effectively crack down on the drug mafia, the Himachal Pradesh assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Thursday, expressing concern over the rise of drug abuse, especially among the youth, related to ‘chitta,’ a synthetic drug.
The resolution, moved during the private member’s day by two members, Sukhram Chaudhary and Kuldeep Rathore, addresses the growing issue of drug trafficking. In response to the debate, which saw the participation of 18 out of 68 members, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, on behalf of the Chief Minister, advocated for making the NDPS Act more stringent. He proposed terming the offense of drug trafficking as heinous as murder, granting more powers to the states for confiscating the property of traffickers, and the opening of a zonal office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the hill state.
Admitting that the youth are falling prey to drugs, he mentioned that the state would strengthen the anti-narcotics task force by deploying an additional 500 personnel. Agnihotri highlighted the severity of the clandestine drug trade by stating that this year, 14 kg of “chitta” was seized in the state, leading to the arrest of 1,757 individuals for trafficking, with five reported deaths.
“Chitta,” a white powder drug, is an extract of opium laced with synthetic drugs and is cheaper than heroin. Police officials informed that “chitta” has become a new lifestyle chemical drug craze, especially among the youth, in the state, known for illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium in its inaccessible valleys and lofty mountains.
The Deputy Chief Minister expressed concern that the number of deaths due to “chitta” abuse might be higher than reported, as families in many cases preferred to declare such incidents as natural deaths. He emphasized that drug-related cases were not only rampant in the state borders but also in far-flung and interior areas.
Agnihotri urged members of the House to rise above politics and pledge not to protect drug smugglers and dealers, emphasizing the need to save the youth from falling prey to drugs. Earlier, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, who holds the Home portfolio, informed the assembly that nearly 14 kg of heroin was seized this year. In a written reply, he stated that the government has zero tolerance against drugs and advocated for granting more powers to states to combat the drug mafia effectively.
The Chief Minister recommended to the Central government the establishment of an institutional framework to empower agencies involved in curbing drug trafficking and to strengthen the NDPS Act for strict legal action against drug smugglers and dealers. According to the government’s written reply during Question Hour, this year saw the seizure of 34 kg of opium, 304 kg of charas, 12 grams of LSD, a synthetic chemical-based drug, 58 grams of ketamine, and 133 grams of smack, among other drugs.
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