By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 8: VPP legislator from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum on Wednesday sought the intervention of Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home department, Prestone Tynsong, to deal with the menace of drugs in the city.
In a letter to Tynsong, the VVP MLA pointed out to an incident on GS Road in which sale of drugs was allegedly taking place in broad daylight. A video of this has also gone viral on social media.
Nongrum emphasised there is an urgent need for a comprehensive war against drugs in the state.
“Firstly, I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work of the police department. They have been diligent in apprehending individuals with illegal drugs, even including those found in government and public vehicles. However, this prompts the question of why such incidents persist,” he said
Suggesting the need to bolster the police force in state, the VPP MLA said that the police should employ innovative strategies such as undercover operations to effectively thwart drug-related activities, even as he added that patrolling efforts should also be bolstered.
The VPP legislator further stated that the existing legislation needs significant improvements to address the current drug problem, effectively.
He suggested that the state government must take the lead by imposing stringent checks similar to what was done during COVID-19 pandemic at the Byrnihat entry check gate.
According to him, this is crucial in preventing the free flow of drugs into our State. Failure to do so may lead to a drug epidemic similar to COVID-19, with dire consequences.
“I believe that by implementing these measures, we can reduce, control, and ultimately eliminate the drug menace that plagues our beloved state. As of now, this drug issue is of a very liberal nature, implying that it is widespread and not well-contained,” the North Shillong MLA said.