MLA wants police eye on city’s drug-afflicted areas

SHILLONG, Sep 12: Bringing to light unabated cases of drug-peddling in select pockets under his constituency, West Shillong legislator Mohendro Rapsang has appealed for government’s prompt and solemn intervention into the issue, and suggested that areas such as Nongshohpoh, Mawbah, and Upper Mawprem be strictly kept under police watch.
“This (drug peddling) has become a menace and created a lot of problem and affected residential areas like Mawbah, Upper Mawprem and Nongshohpoh as a whole, with people coming from other areas just to get drugs from here,” the MLA rued.
He also argued that it is the duty of the government to address the issue.
“My point as a legislator is that it is the duty of the government and the police to do their work so that these drugs peddlers do not exist in these vulnerable pockets. My request to the government is to look into the matter very seriously because this is becoming a menace to the people and the society,” Rapsang said.
Informing that there are ten durbars under his constituency, he said, “We have had a meeting and discussed about it extensively, specifically about drug menace, and even went and met the Minister of Social Welfare, requesting him tackle the issue effectively.”
To an enquiry if the meeting with the minister yielded a positive outcome, the MLA said, “It is the people to judge whether the government has done enough or not to address this issue in the state, and I, as a legislator, say that they have done nothing. It is not at all enough.”
He also cited several instances during which he had to get in touch with police after being approached by the residents over the issue. “Strong police presence is very much important in these areas as we also have special branch for narcotics,” the MLA suggested.
“The Home department can deploy special police force trained for narcotics to tackle the matter. They can be stationed in these police stations of the particular areas,” he added.