Shivangi Prakash-
On Saturday on the occasion of, International Day against Drug Abuse, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Home Department has begun the process of amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act to further empower and reinforce enforcement authorities. He further noted that the police authorities are consulting with legal experts about moving the modification forward.
Bommai told reporters that police chiefs from all districts will discard psychotropic and narcotic compounds worth Rs. 50 crore that were seized in the previous year. “This will be done in accordance with the prescribed protocol in all district headquarters, in the presence of committees, in accordance with the court orders,” he added.
While 60 percent of them would be destroyed based on court approval, the rest will be destroyed pending FSL and court approval.
The NDPS Act is a central act that cannot be amended by the states. However, the rules for its execution can be changed as needed, and that process is currently underway, he explained.
“We’re having a study done by the National Law School to figure out what adjustments need to be made and how to do so within the Act’s parameters. After which the necessary steps will be taken” he says.
The drugs seized included ganja, poppy, brown sugar, opium, heroin, hashish, charas, cocaine, MDMA powder, MDMA tablets, Amphetamine and LSD strips. The confiscation is the largest in the nation, and authorities are maintaining their measures to counter the societal evil
Ramky Enviro Engineers Private Limited will be in charge of the project. Over 23,829 kgs of ganja, 161 kgs of opium, 6.15 kgs of hashish, 5.262 kgs of charas, and other drugs will be destroyed.
According to Mr Bommai, the Karnataka State Police is the first in the country to crack dark web-related narcotics crimes. He noted that drug dealers employ advanced technology and that the expertise of a variety of enforcement agencies, including the State Cyber Crime Police and the Economic Offenses and Narcotic Wings, are used to combat the drug trade.
Mr. Bommai also praised the police for solving the death of Rekha Kadiresh, a former councillor.