Srinagar

Manoj Sinha on Saturday said the Jammu and Kashmir Administration is preparing a comprehensive three-year monitoring programme aimed at ensuring the long-term rehabilitation of individuals recovering from drug addiction, while also considering tougher punitive measures against drug traffickers.

Speaking in Srinagar ahead of a major foot march under the ‘Nasha Mukt J-K Abhiyaan’, Sinha said the administration is working on a structured rehabilitation framework that would track recovered addicts for up to three years to ensure they successfully reintegrate into society.

He said efforts are underway to strengthen treatment facilities across the Union Territory. While establishing new rehabilitation centres may take time, existing centres are being upgraded and hospitals have been directed to ensure adequate outpatient and inpatient facilities for those seeking treatment.

Sinha also outlined a series of strict deterrent measures being planned against drug traffickers. Under a newly issued standard operating procedure, individuals found involved in drug peddling could face criminal prosecution along with administrative penalties such as cancellation of driving licences, termination of vehicle registrations and recommendations for passport cancellation.

He added that authorities may also freeze bank accounts, initiate action related to Aadhaar-linked documentation, issue lookout notices against absconders and attach properties under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The lieutenant governor said drug trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir has direct links with terrorism and radicalisation, alleging that funds generated through narcotics often end up financing extremist activities.

He stressed that the fight against drug abuse cannot be won through enforcement alone and requires active participation from society. Religious leaders and community stakeholders are being brought into the campaign to spread awareness and build social resistance against addiction, he said.

Referring to the anti-drug drive launched on April 11 from M A Stadium in Jammu, Sinha said the initiative has already seen large public participation across eight districts of the Jammu division.

According to him, nearly 50 to 60 lakh people have taken part in various awareness programmes during the first three weeks of the campaign, while drug-related case registrations have also increased significantly in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions.

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As part of the ongoing campaign, Sinha is scheduled to lead a padyatra on Sunday from the astroturf football stadium at TRC Chowk to Lal Chowk in Srinagar.