Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday inaugurated Anouba Mangal De-addiction Centre at Sunusiphai, Bishnupur district, the first state-run de-addiction centre in Manipur on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking, 2022. Anouba Mangal is the first de-addiction centre in the state which is directly run by the Social Welfare Department, Government of Manipur.
Addressing the gathering, CM Biren expressed the distress of inaugurating de-addiction centres as it shows increasing drug users. However, due to the requirement of rehabilitation to bring those drug users who went aberrant from society, the de-addiction centre is open, he said.
Biren mentioned the opening of many unregistered rehabilitation centres in the state without following proper guidelines or procedures as to how the inmates should be treated. As such, the state government felt the need to come up with the government-run de-addiction centre.
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“Drug addicts should not be treated with physical punishment but rather they should be given proper advice” said CM Biren and added that staff had been recruited to look after the centre considering the need to keep trained people for the same.
Recalling his days as a reporter, Biren said that he joined the HIV/AIDS drug campaign and stated that even if he wanted to do something that can demolish drugs, it was not possible as he was powerless.
Therefore, he started the war on drugs campaign in November, 2018 with the aim to save the youths from ill effects of drug consumption and its illicit trafficking, he said.
Biren informed that during the first term of his government, 1,674 cases related to drug activities had been registered while 2,104 persons were arrested. Illegal drugs worth around Rs 321 crore in the domestic market were also seized, he said. This year, 181 cases have been registered with the arrest of 227 persons since the formation of his government for the second term. Drugs worth around Rs 59 crore in the domestic market, which would be around Rs 589 crore in the international market, had also been seized, he added.
Biren also informed that he directed the SP of Thoubal district to conduct combing operations every morning at Moijing area where there was a drug factory.
“Now, many communities have shown support to the government’s war on drugs campaign, taking resolutions to uproot poppy plantation”, said CM and expressed his hopefulness that the state would be drug free soon.
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Expressing his concern on the rising number of widows in the state due to drug abuse, Biren asked the gathering if they know the hardships faced by widows to run their families. He mentioned that the Meitei community has the highest alcoholic drinking community and that in any ceremony alcohol is becoming a necessity.
Biren informed that the state government will come up with the next mission to set up various work sheds where widows could take up certain productive activities to make their own living and run their families. He urged the public to respect one another and support the welfare works taken up by the government so that the state could progress smoothly towards development.
During the programme, people of Sunusiphai submitted a memorandum to the chief minister which the latter assured to look into the matter including construction of playground under Khelo India, installation of street lamps at the road leading to the de-addiction centre from the main road and conservation of Thambal Houbi Kom among others.
Taking advantage of the observation, Biren put up the matter regarding change of Meitei Mayek that the World Meitei Forum demands. Regarding the matter, Biren said that after years of demand the Meitei Mayek was officially announced and now, there is a demand to change up to the university level.
Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo cautioned that the state is in an alarming situation regarding drug consumption and its illicit trafficking. The ill-effects of drug menace could be widely seen nowadays and as such the state government had started its fight against drugs to save the future of our youths. He sought support of the public stating that the efforts of the government alone would not be enough to overcome the drug menace without the involvement and cooperation of the public.
He also stressed on the ill effects and imbalances caused by poppy cultivation on soil and environment and particularly to the health of humans.
The programme was also attended by Transport Mnister Khasim Vashum; chairman of Loktak Development Authority, Moirangthem Asnikumar; MLA of Moirang AC Th Shanti; MLA of Thanga AC Tongbram Robindro; MLA of Kumbi AC S Premchandra; MLA of Keirao AC L Rameshwor Meetei; MLA of Mayang Imphal AC K Robindro; Director General of Police, P Doungel, additional chief secretary P Vaiphei, senior civil and police officials and officials of the Social Welfare department.
Meanwhile, drugs worth Rs 205 crore in the international market which included around 3000 Kg of Ganja, 14 Kg of Heroin, 20 kg of ice drug or crystal methamphetamine, 104 kg of WY tablets, 3482 kg of SP tablets and other illegal drugs were disposed of as Pre-trial and Post-trial Drug Disposal of Manipur Police at Sunusiphai.
It was done in connection with the observation of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which was organized jointly by the department of Social Welfare and Police Department, Manipur.
