By Toki Blah
The other evening, a 4Front Campus Talk , Esp 10 of its Panel Discussion series titled “Balei jyllei u Drugs ha Meghalaya” was aired on social media and no wonder the subject matter under discussion immediately caught everyone’s attention. Illicit drug abuse, the menace it poses on our minuscule tribal society; our future and the apparent easy availability of this social evil to spread, especially among our youth, has caught the attention of all citizens. To claim that there is a general overall social alarm over the issue, is to make the understatement of the year. Society is worried sick and there is social panic over the state’s apparent inability to control the menace. Vigilante groups have sprung up in almost every locality of the state; addicts have been caught and on several occasions, in an effort to teach the addicts a lesson, physical violence resorted to. Sadly such public efforts of taking the law into their own hands have not nor can they ever yield the desired result. Instead it has only increased friction and tension between the police and the public, coincidentally, both anxious stakeholders to curb the menace. Such reactions divert attention from the drug problem to a public vs police law and order issue. It is the drug criminal who then walks home laughing while genuine concerned stakeholders are left fighting among themselves. That’s the last thing we need, if we are to successfully tackle the Drug Menace in our state.
The above mentioned Panel cum Awareness discussion was held in the KJP School in Mawlai Phudmuri and it was really encouraging to see both the audience (keen young students and teachers of the school) and the panelists ( made up of a Redt Police Officer; a Redt Indian Foreign Service member; a reformed drug addict turned anti drug activist; a Pastor; a Psychiatrist, a serving Police officer enforcing the NDPS Act; a member of a prominent Seng Kynthei plus an active youth leader from Mawlai) ably anchored by Iban Mawrie, freely exchange opinions, views, apprehensions, suggestions and concerns over the threat of illicit drug use and substance abuse. Its was one of those rare moments when the generation gap was bridged and this time it was triggered by a perception of a common threat by both generations. To me, a viewer of the programme, two things stood out prominently. The first was the focus of the panelists on mostly curative aspects of the problem ( counseling, rehabilitation and the need for increase in de- addiction centers etc) and really very little, except for some repeated advice for better parental supervision, as a preventive measure.
From the side of the kids, there were more questions and interest on better preventive steps and at the end of the session, to be quite candid, the students did not appear too convinced by the answers from their elders. On the whole however it was a much appreciated effort which to my mind should be expanded to involve more youngsters in other schools, simply because they appeared as anxious , if not more, for assurances that the drug threat can be controlled and their future secured.
The main focus of this write-up therefore shall be on preventive measures that need to be taken by the authorities to control the menace of drug abuse within Meghalaya. This is not to say that the State Government has been sitting idle on the issue. Far from it and the efforts of the anti drug squad of Meghalaya Police should be appreciated. Needless to say however, it shall require some out of the box creative thinking , if we really want to beat the drug criminals. Firstly, we must accept reality as it exists on the ground, by accepting the fact that we are dealing with some very smart criminals whose sole concentration is on how to outwit the Police. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Act, 1985 therefore needs to be supplemented by some local act to make it more effective for Meghalaya. In Meghalaya we have The Meghalaya Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Rules, 1986 which will perhaps require some further tweaking to strengthen the hands of our law enforcing agencies. Secondly, we do not grow poppy nor do we manufacture drugs within the state. 100% of illicit drugs come into the state from outside and that too by road. A reality that should outline our strategic approach to the problem. Thirdly, as was admitted in the panel discussions , the entry of drugs into Meghalaya can happen only via Ratachara, EJHs or via NH 40, Jorabad , Ri Bhoi district. It is from these two entry points that illicit drugs are smuggled into Meghalaya on a commercial scale, to be further repacked into smaller packets or 1 or 2 gms sachets for street distribution to individual addicts.
This writer strongly believes that the two drug entry points mentioned above, are the most vulnerable interception points where the drug enforcement agencies need to concentrate on. “Nip it in the bud” so to say before it spreads into our streets and localities. Chasing after peddlers once the drugs have been repacked and distributed is actually pointless. Cutting off the bulk entry of drugs at the two entry points makes more sense. Let’s try and see if we can do it.
“Easier said than done” would be the initial reaction to the suggestions made above. The manpower and the resources just aren’t available to check each and every vehicle; each and every passenger that enters Meghalaya through the two choke points mentioned. Touche! Well argued! But can we start thinking outside of available manpower and instead seek the help of technology? The Meghalaya drug problem after all , is a recent phenomenon which could perhaps be tackled better through the use of easily available modern technology. In 2023, J&K became the first region in India to equip accused criminals under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) with GPS tracking devices. Punjab is thinking of doing the same for drug related criminals.
Drug traffickers are as dangerous as terrorists, more in fact for their activities not only affect social and national security but they also rob our future generations of their moral fiber, their education, the whole life they have before them. The police must be in the know of, perhaps not all, but a majority of the suspected commercial traffickers of drugs into Meghalaya. Most must be repeated offenders out on bail. Yes we don’t have the manpower to track their movements. But GPS enabled anklets will assist the police in monitoring their movements such as when they leave the state and when they try to reenter the state. A bit of AI assistance will actually reduce manpower need for monitoring and scrutinizing movements of these big fish. AI will alert the police once an attempt to leave or reenter Meghalaya is made and that is when the checking of the specific vehicle the suspect is travelling in can be made. It will be pinpoint targeting. No longer random, hit or miss checking.
This GPS enabled tracking of drug offenders, with the objective of preventing entry of illicit drugs into Meghalaya must be done on a case- by- case basis where the rights of the individual, especially the Right to privacy must be kept in mind. The prospective success rate and the relief it can bring ( if this is made operational, not less than 80 to 90% of illicit drugs entering Meghalaya will be curtailed) should cause us not to deter or hesitate from examining how it can be lawfully implemented. By this I mean that the attachment of GPS enabled anklets must be done only through a court order. Police cannot do it on their own. Forcibly attaching a GPS device to track an individual can be viewed by a court as an interference with liberty and privacy rights.
To help the courts pass such necessary orders on behalf of the Police , the Meghalaya Government can be of assistance, through a small amendment of The Meghalaya Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Rules, 1986. A few lines stating something like “Notwithstanding anything in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) or the NDPS Act, 1985, a Special Court or Sessions Court may, when granting bail under Section 480/483 (BNSS) or Section 37 of the NDPS Act, or when releasing a convict on parole, probation, or remission, or on a specific request by the Meghalaya police, under Sec 170, 126 BNSS, to deter a likely drug related criminal offence, order that such person shall be subject to electronic monitoring by means of a GPS-enabled device” could easily be inserted as an amendment. This would be of great help to the police in pinpointing entry of drugs into Meghalaya by habitual offenders. New suppliers can take their place but with the sort of excellent intelligence at police disposal these too will be sooner than later netted. It would literally take the drugs out of market circulation. With drug supplies cut off, small peddlers and users will be left high and dry, ready and then more than willing to be rehabilitated once again into decent society. Which is exactly what we want.
