Biren inaugurates Manipur’s first state-run de-addiction centre, disposes drugs worth Rs 205 crore

Imphal: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh on Sunday inaugurated Anouba Mangal De-addiction Centre at Sunusiphai, Bishnupur district on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 2022.

Anouba Mangal is the first de-addiction centre in the state which is directly run by the state social welfare department.

The chief minister also disposed 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 as pre-trial and post-trial drug disposal of Manipur Police at Sunusiphai.

The programme on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 2022 was organised jointly by the department of social welfare and police department, Manipur.

Many unregistered rehabilitation centres are operating 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, Biren said.

Drug addicts shouldn’t be treated with physical punishment rather they should be given proper advice, he said and added that staff had been recruited to look after the centre considering the need to keep trained people for the same.

Biren recalled that the state Ggvernment’s War on Drugs campaign was started in November, 2018 with the aim to save the youths from ill effects of drug consumption and its illicit trafficking. He maintained that the various steps had been taken up with the government’s motto to do something for the welfare of the people and the society.

During the first term of Biren’s government, 1674 cases related to drug activities had been registered while 2104 persons were arrested. Illegal drugs worth around Rs 321 crore in the domestic market were also seized.

Biren said 181 cases had 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.

Many communities had shown support to the War on Drugs campaign, taking resolutions to uproot poppy plantation, he said and expressed his hopefulness that the state would be drug free soon.

Raising concern on the rise of number of widows in the state and their hardship to run their families, Biren informed that the government would 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 have respect for one another and support the welfare works taken up by the government so that the state could progress smoothly towards development.

Social welfare minister Heikham Dingo, delivering his presidential address, 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 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.

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 road leading to the de-addiction centre from the main road and conservation of Thambal Houbi Kom among others.

Transport minister Khasim Vashum, chairman of Loktak Development Authority Moirangthem Asnikumar, MLAs Th. Shanti, Tongbram Robindro, S. Premchandra, L. Rameshwor Meetei, and 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 also attended the programme.