Directed for fee regulation at rehabilitation centres
SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 28: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo today said that all Drug De-addiction centres are fully functional in J&K and directed for fee regulation at all centres for affordable rehabilitation of victims.
The Minister made these remarks while replying to a question of Legislator, Surjeet Singh Salathia on Drug Addiction, in Legislative Assembly today.She highlighted that the Health and Education departments along-with law enforcement agencies are playing an active role to fight the menace of drug abuse in society.
She added that strict instructions have been issued to head of all educational institutions (colleges and schools) to install CCTVs in and around their campuses to check any kind of irregular activities.
The Minister also lauded the role of NGOs in dealing with this alarming situation across J&K, adding that their support is must for combating this social evil.While giving reply to the question, the Minister said that 166 drug abuse cases have been reported in district Samba from the date of establishment of de-addiction centre at District Hospital Samba, with 114 Alcoholic and 62 Heroin & Cannabis affected, while as six patients have recovered till date.
She added that the Government is taking concrete steps to curb this menace in the UT of J&K in general and Samba district in particular, like awareness Lectures and Educational Activities, Establishment of De-addiction Centre, Outreach Programs in Educational Institutions and Communities, Panchayat-Level Awareness Activities, Door-to-Door Survey and Identification as well as Camps in Hotspot Areas where a roster has been constituted for the organization of awareness and treatment camps in hotspot and other vulnerable areas.
She added that these camps are led by psychiatrists and counsellors to provide both preventive education and initial treatment support. The Minister also informed that Addiction Treatment Facility has been fully established at District Hospital, Samba since February 2024 sponsored by NDDTC (AIIMS New Delhi) under MOSIE, presently working on OPD basis with services like OPD by Psychiatrist, Counselling Services and Substance Substitute therapy.
While commenting on the subject, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather advised the Minister to take suggestions from a scientific document prepared by political representatives of a party, as it outlines effective and detailed measures for combating this social evil.The Minister informed the house that Government has already started working on this report, besides the topics related to Drug Addiction have already been made part of the curriculum.
Legislators, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi; Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani; Muzaffar Iqbal Khan; Pawan Gupta; Tanvir Ali Sadiq; Narinder Singh; Dr. Rameshwar Singh; Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri; Balwant Singh Mankotia, raised supplementary questions on the subject.Rs 1632 Cr. Master Plan in pipeline for river Jhelum flood mitigation: RanaSays nearly Rs. 15 crore flood protection works undertaken in Srinagar
Minister for Jal Shakti Department, Javed Ahmed Rana today said that the government has Rs 1632 Crore Master Plan is in the pipeline for river Jhelum flood mitigation.The Minister informed this while replying to a question raised by Legislator Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad in the Legislative Assembly today.
He said that a comprehensive flood mitigation plan including deep de-silting and increasing carrying capacity of river Jhelum and its flood spilling channels is in the pipeline to enhance flood mitigation measures in the Valley.The Minister said that nearly Rs 15 crores flood protection works have been undertaken in Srinagar to mitigate flood risk.He informed that as part of long-term and permanent flood protection measures, under PMDP Phase-II, various bank protection works have been undertaken at critical locations adjoining the above areas at a cost of Rs. 12.30 crores.
Furthermore, to mitigate the risk of overflow, raising of embankments in vulnerable stretches has been carried out at a cost of Rs 2.49 crores, thereby enhancing the overall flood resilience of the area. The Minister stated that the areas of Lasjan, Gandbal, Soiteng, Vethpara, Padshahi Bagh, Kursoo Rajbagh, Shivpora, Sonawar, Batwara, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and adjoining localities are prone to flooding when the discharge exceeds approximately 40,000 cusecs, leading to overflow from the riverbanks.
He said that the habitations located on the left bank of River Jhelum exhibit relatively higher vulnerability due to their low-lying topography.He said besides short-term measures to mitigate flood threats in these localities include the restoration of weak spots identified during safety audits of river embankments through temporary protection works such as the laying of filled EC bags are also undertaken.
Additionally, as the flood season approaches, advance preparedness measures are undertaken by pre-positioning filled EC bags at vulnerable locations and keeping men and machinery under stage contracts in readiness to respond to any eventuality. These actions are executed in close coordination with the District Administration, DMRRR, and other line departments.He further said that the flood threat can be minimized through structural and non-structural measures (Flood early warning and Flood plain zoning).Supplementary were raised by Legislators including Tanvir Sadiq, Javid Riyaz Bedar, Hasnain Masoodi.
New fleet of buses arriving, border districts to be prioritised during their deployment: Transport MinisterMinister for Transport, Satish Sharma today said that new fleet of Buses is arriving and the government will deploy them as per the needs and requirements of people, besides border areas will covered adequately.The Minister said this while replying to a question raised by Legislator, Ajaz Ahmad Jan on SRTC Buses in Legislative Assembly today.He added that Border districts of Poonch and Rajouri will be prioritised as soon as the deployment of new fleet of buses is done.
While replying to a question, the Minister informed that JKRTC plies bus services in the Haveli Constituency on the Jammu–Poonch and vice versa route continuously, adding that due to cross border shelling, the said service was discontinued for one week and the same service was restored immediately after one week.He further informed that JKRTC provided two vehicles for Poonch Haveli constituency on 10.05.2025 for shifting of affected people to safer zones. He added that JKRTC also plied bus services for shifting of stranded passengers to their home town Districts during the said period on the request of District Administration, Poonch.The Minister also informed the house that during Operation Sindoor, 58 RTC Buses were deployed in several areas of J&K for shifting the stranded passengers coming back from other neighbouring States.
He informed that in Poonch 2 buses, Mendhar 1 bus, Rajouri 3 buses, Jammu 4 buses, Bishnah 5 buses, Akhnoor/Khour 11 buses, Srinagar 2 buses, Doda 14 buses, Kishtwar 4 buses, Paddar/Nagsani 1 bus and for Bhaderwah 4 buses were deployed during Operation Sindoor for facilitation of public.Legislators, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan and Baldev Raj Sharma raised supplementary questions on the subject.
