PNS|Mahabubnagar
Nagarkurnool District Collector P Uday Kumar on Saturday stressed the need to make Nagarkurnool a drug-free district.
Speaking at a review meeting on the stringent measures to be taken to control the narcotics menace, the Collector directed the officials and the police to create awareness among students on the ill effects of drug abuse and addiction.
District Superintendent of Police K Manohar asked the police to take stringent action against those peddling and hoarding narcotics.
Udaya Kumar emphasised the need for the officials to ensure the students and youth do not fall prey to drug addiction. He sought the details of the cases of drug abuse and drug peddling which were detected so far. He asked the officials to focus on the areas where drugs were being boarded and sold. He asked the officials to counsel the youth who were addicted to drugs. He suggested that the services of psychologists be used extensively to give counselling to the youth addicted to drugs. Selling of tobacco products to minors less than 18 years of age was banned. Likewise, selling liquor to youth less than 21 years of age was also banned. As such, the Collector asked the officials and the police to make surprise raids on pan shops and liquor shops to ensure that they adhere to the rules.
He asked the police to keep a watch on the likelihood of smuggling of drugs by the cargo service being operated by the TSRTC.
There was a need to keep a watch on higher educational institutions, too, he said. He directed the officials to take strong action against those cultivating marijuana. He asked the officials to take the help of the sarpanches and Panchayat Secretaries in villages to weed out the drug menace.
District Crime Deputy Superintendent of Police Satyanarayana, District Medical and Health Officer Sudhakar, Nagarkurnool Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohan Kumar, Kalwakurthi Deputy Superintendent of Police P Narasimha and others were present.
