The Tripura Chief Minister, Dr. Manik Saha, has called on police and security forces to intensify their efforts to target the kingpins behind the larger drug rackets in the state. Speaking at a seminar organized by the National Social Service (NSS) on the occasion of a voluntary blood donation programme, he urged police not to be content with arresting just the small-time drug runners and peddlers, but to focus on dismantling the larger syndicates.
The Chief Minister noted that Tripura is now the second most successful state in curbing the drug menace after Assam, but emphasized that more needs to be done to address the problem. He highlighted the importance of stopping the drug route that originates from Myanmar, sneaks into Tripura through Assam and Mizoram, and eventually reaches Bangladesh. He also pointed fingers at foreign powers who seek to harm India’s national interest by facilitating drug production and peddling in the country.
Dr. Saha stressed the important role that NSS can play in fighting social evils such as drug abuse, urging students to take an active part in inculcating a true spirit of social service in the community. He commended the NSS program for its long-standing tradition of community service, which dates back to 1969 when more than 600 students from six colleges embarked on social service work.
Chitrajit Bhowmik, the state NSS director, reported that the organization had organized 35 blood donation camps in the past two months, collecting more than 900 units of blood. He added that the NSS had also organized seminars in 22 colleges in the state aimed at making Tripura drug-free and that such initiatives would continue in the future.
