Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed the hope that Andhra Pradesh can be freed from the sway of narcotics in three to four months. At a high-level review meet here on Monday, he asked the excise and special enforcement bureau to work in coordination to realise this goal.
The meeting was attended by deputy CM and excise minister K Narayana Swamy, home minister Taneti Vanitha and senior officials.
The CM asked the officials to set up huge hoardings at all colleges and universities, displaying the SEB toll free number 14500 in a month’s time as part of the campaign to check the illegal use of narcotics. He underlined the importance of ensuring that no student used narcotics anywhere in the state.
“Let us free all the colleges and universities in AP from the menace of narcotics,” he said.
Jagan Reddy also asked the officials to curb illicit liquor brewing and sales, improve the functioning of women police in village/ward secretariats and implement Disha Act and App in an effective manner.
The CM directed the excise and SEB officials to conduct a meeting every Tuesday to review the steps taken to curb illicit liquor brewing and cultivation of ganja. The police must meet every Thursday to take up a review on controlling narcotics, curbing manufacture and sale of illicit liquor, as also the coordination among women police in village/ward secretariats and implementation of the Disha Act and App.
The CM called for efficient use of the Disha Act and App and wanted improvements in the performance of women police. He said that as nearly 15,000 women police were in working mode, their services should be best utilized to implement the Disha Act in a more robust manner in addition to enhancing the number of downloads of Disha App.
Jagan Reddy underscored the importance to keep more vigil on liquor sale in the state by not allowing its consumption in public places and checking the flow of illicit liquor.
He also said the SEB should check attempts to sell sand at more than the normal rates. The SEB must act against those involved in trading of narcotics, ganja, gutka etc affecting the health of the people. “Take the help of the local intelligence men to keep a tab on such illegal activities and deal with the culprits sternly," he said.
Maintaining that nowhere in the country women police were working in village/ward secretariats, the CM wanted the officials to optimise the utilization of their services to get good results.
The CM wanted the officials to identify alternative sources of income for those who raised ganja but gave it up, like starting a dairy farm, to have a regular source of income. He also felt the need to implement ‘Operation Parivartan’ properly.
As 1.14 lakh families were given RoFR titles in 2.82 lakh acres of land, the CM asked officials to submit reports on development of such lands. The officials briefed the CM on a series of steps the government has initiated to curb sale of illicit liquor, destruction of ganja plantations etc.
