himachal-pradesh-lacks-clear-focus-on-drug-issue

For the past some decades, there has been much talk on strategies for tackling the drug menace—the abuse, cultivation, and trafficking—in Himachal Pradesh, but to no avail so far.  
 
The problem is compounded each day with the successive governments adopting a dilly-dally approach in addressing the serious issue, which is the worst ever now with synthetic drugs also making way to Himachal Pradesh in a big way, in addition to the existing challenges of illegal cultivation of cannabis, opium, and their trading. Over the last two and a half decades, the successive governments have worked out strategies, which have not yielded results, more because of a lack of political will to see the problem in toto and find comprehensive solution. 

 

The state lacked a multi-pronged approach for the massive problem and for a long time, saw it as a socio-economic issue, particularly in Kullu and Mandi districts, where world class cannabis and opium is illegally grown and traded internationally. 
 
The successive governments tried to tackle it more with lip service, than doing something substantial to tighten the noose around the traffickers and take out the young victims from the clutches of drug addiction. 

 

Every five years the government changes, there is change in policy and the focus to deal with drug menace, bringing in discontinuance in efforts. 

 

While the previous BJP government constituted Nasha Nivaran Board with unclear mandate, the present government totally ignored the Board and went ahead with formulation of Special Task Force from within the Police department and took a step ahead on previous government’s proposal on controlled cultivation of cannabis in Himachal Pradesh for industrial scientific and medicinal purpose.

 

The cabinet recently okayed the report of the committee headed by Revenue minister, Jagat Singh Negi in this regard and approved a pilot study on cannabis cultivation to be taken up by the Agriculture University, Palampur and Horticulture and forestry University, Solan.  Committee comprising scientists, horticulture experts, Congress and BJP MLAs, which conducted studies in states where cannabis cultivation is already permitted, suggested that regulating cannabis cultivation can benefit farmers and tap the non-narcotic use of cannabis plant. 

 

Also read: Himachal adopts resolution for legal cannabis cultivation

 

The report also pointed out that Hemp farming was environmentally beneficial.

 

Agriculture minister, Chander Kumar said only seeds of minimal intoxicating properties will be cultivated under strict monitoring by the Excise and Taxation department and the law enforcement agencies. He said the two state varsities- Agriculture University in Palampur and Horticulture and Forestry University in Solan-would develop the seeds and identify the cultivation sites. 

 

The Agriculture department department will be the nodal agency. He said all activities will be in compliance with relevant provisions of NDPS Act, 1985 and the HP NDPS Rules, 1989.

 

Currently, cannabis is grown illegally, including naturally in some areas, in most districts of Himachal Pradesh, right from Kullu valley to Mandi, Chamba and parts of Shimla district.  

 

While not many people are enthusiastic about the move as it would only mix up the whole issue of illegal cultivation of cannabis—which has gone beyond proportions with deep rooted nexus operating in Himachal for several years with international links. 

 

It is generally being construed that giving the shield of controlled or regulated cultivation of cannabis will spoil the things more on ground as the state has earlier been launching campaigns to destroy cannabis growing in different areas illegally, citing it a threat. 

 

Nothing however has stopped people from not going in for illegal cultivation of cannabis and even opium on forest, revenue and even private land mainly in parts of Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and some other districts as they make an easy buck with this.

 

Also, given the situation that the political interests have always clashed with the law enforcement against illegal cultivation of cannabis and poppy in the state, the controlled cultivation would silently give a signal of legitimising the illicit cultivation in a way. 

 

More so, even with controlled cultivation, the issue of checking illegal cultivation of cannabis stands as such and it does not amount to either discouraging or tightening the noose around drug mafia. 

 

Finds former Narcotics Control Bureau Officer, OP Sharma, who has been an expert with UNODC (United Nation’s Office on Drugs and Crime) in India, OP Sharma, "I think the government’s top concern should be eliminating the organised drug mafias. The government should cautiously proceed and clarify that the proposal is to regulate cannabis cultivation in HP, not regularization. There is a lot of confusion on this". 

 

He said with drug mafias working in cannabis growing areas for long, these organised groups have replaced the traditional seeds with highly intoxicating varieties of cannabis.

 

"The government needs to address these issues before taking any step as so far there is no data on the area under illegal cannabis cultivation, the varieties being grown and the processing methods," he said.

 

Sharma, who is also former convener of Nasha Nivaran Board, Sharma said the government should keep clear focus on the drug problem and work actively on the prevention side also.