SHILLONG, Oct 8: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and Chief Secretary DP Wahlang represented Meghalaya as Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ with Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police from all Northeastern states in Guwahati, Assam, on Saturday.
About 40,000 kg of narcotics seized within the Northeastern region under a special campaign against narcotics were destroyed in the virtual presence of the Union Home Minister.
On directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has adopted a three-pronged formula to strengthen institutional structure, empowerment and coordination of all narcotics agencies and a comprehensive awareness campaign to crack down on narcotics.
Speaking at the meeting, Shah said every state should have a Forensic Science Laboratory, adding that the Centre is ready to provide financial assistance of 50% towards this endeavour.
At the meeting, it was discerned that the Regional Office of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been established in Guwahati, while new regional offices are being set up at Agartala in Tripura and Pasighat/Lower Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, besides a zonal office has also been started at New Jalpaiguri for better coverage of the areas adjoining Sikkim
Union Home Minister emphasised that CMs of all Northeastern states should chair the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) meetings and efforts should be made to percolate these to the district level.
Shah was in favour of using drones, artificial intelligence and satellite mapping for identification and control of areas cultivating opium.
