Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Calls for Faster Prosecution and Robust Rehabilitation to Combat Drugs
SRINAGAR, May 05 — Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired the 17th Union Territory-level Narco Coordination Centre meeting today to review Jammu and Kashmir’s performance in enforcing drug laws and rehabilitating victims of substance abuse.
Addressing senior civil and police officers, he emphasized the need for a strengthened legal framework and directed the Law Department to explore video conferencing for witness statements to prevent trial delays. He also called for strict accountability by analyzing acquittals in narcotics cases and fixing responsibility for any investigative lapses that allow offenders to escape conviction.
The Chief Secretary underscored a multifaceted enforcement strategy that includes dismantling drug networks by investigating both forward and backward linkages.
Beyond traditional policing, he advocated for non-kinetic measures such as the cancellation of driving licenses, passports, and vehicle registrations for those involved in trafficking, as well as freezing bank accounts to choke illicit financial flows. To support recovery, he directed the expansion of the rehabilitation ecosystem by training a vast pool of counselors across schools, colleges, and primary health centers, ensuring at least three to four master trainers are available in every district.
Reports presented during the meeting revealed significant enforcement activity in 2026, with 542 cases registered and narcotics valued at approximately 18.49 crore seized so far. While the number of cases involving commercial quantities has risen compared to last year, officials noted that over 10,000 cases remain pending in various courts.
To address this backlog, the Chief Secretary enjoined upon Deputy Commissioners to ensure functional inpatient facilities in all district hospitals and urged the health department to maintain a steady supply of essential medicines, creating an integrated response to the drug menace in the Union Territory.