Tripura’s War on Drugs

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has affirmed that the menace of drugs will be wiped out from the state. The Chief Minister informed that an Anti-narcotics Task Force would be set up to deal with drugs trafficking. Saha briefing newspersons, informed that tackling drugs menace was widely discussed in the key meeting held in Guwahati chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Tripura Chief Minister said that the police force is being continuously trained to deal with the illicit drugs trade. However, Manik Saha expressed concern over the porous international border for which the state has now turned into a drugs corridor. Efforts are being with the Assam and Mizoram governments to stop drugs trafficking, added Manik Saha.
In terms of enhancing the infrastructure to tackle drugs trafficking, the Tripura Chief MInister said that advanced technologies such drone tracking along the International Border (IB) with Bangladesh, setting up of CCTVs will be done soon. Manik Saha also said that border fencing will be strengthened and stressed on capacity building measures to stop the menace. In a significant statement, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that alternative farming is the best option to stop cultivation of Marijuana.
Saha further informed that the Northeast Space Application Centre can play a pivotal role in afforestation, use of wetlands, better flood management and forecasting using satellite imagery and mapping of areas. This issue was also one of the top agenda in the NEC Plenary session.