Go convergent

 

THE ongoing crackdown on the drug cartels operating in the country deserves kudos from every Indian. Consignment after consignment are intercepted, drugs seized, peddlers arrested. Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah has rightly spoken about no mercy for the drug cartels. While continuing with the ongoing action, there is need for the Government to adopt a convergent approach to crush the menace more effectively. There is probably no Indian district wherein parties are not organised at venues outside the major cities. Umpteen reports have appeared in media regarding busting of drug rackets near educational campuses, hostels, and also certain shady hangouts. Right from ports to airports, several drug hauls have exposed how deep-rooted is the menace.

 

This menace needs to be rooted out completely because it is assuming dangerous proportions. Even cursory study of the cases of drug addicts, who, fortunately, got rid of the vice grip, reveals that many of them got addicted to drugs on educational campuses or while partying out with friends. Some got addicted because of stress over something. This attracts attention towards the need for tackling the drug menace by way of preventive measures like effective de-addiction campaigns. These campaigns have to be so effective that they should not get overshadowed by the open glorification of drug addiction through films, web-series, and so-called content on social media platforms. Unfortunately, not much is happening on this front. The Government machinery implements awareness drive as a matter of formality and nothing more.

 

Only a few in the governance and the administration are seriously committed to the cause. This highlights need for counselling at educational institutions, and introduction of de-addiction as a mandatory part of curriculum just like environmental education. Another aspect that must be underlined here is the need for a convergent action as far as crackdown on drug cartels is concerned. Today, narcotics business has evolved beyond the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Punjab or Afghanistan-China-US or such traditional routes. They are supplemented by decentralised small-scale, often undetectable, setups producing synthetic drugs like Mephedrone, Methamphetamine etc. These elements operate shadily in closed-down pharmaceutical units or under the garb of chemical units in industrial areas. Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence need to work in collaboration with the Industries Departments of respective States to bust such units. These agencies may be required to work with Agriculture Department also, given the fact that opium cultivation has been detected in several parts of the country. Since the Revenue as well as Agriculture Departments keep track of crops, their routine inspections must involve checking for opium cultivation with reports going to NCB. Further, the digital surveillance has to be increased because the synthetic drugs are sold in what is known as dark web or dark net. With advancement of technology, dark web can be accessed with certain browsers. These dimensions, apart from drug-terror nexus, reflect new complexities acquired by the drug menace.

 

The situation calls for the Government to take into account new realities while continuing with the ongoing crackdown. Drug menace is a hydra-headed monster, which needs a multi-blade strategy. Through convergence in action this multi-blade strategy could be adopted and converted into a decisive action. The Government is doing a praiseworthy job. It just needs to add more edge to the conventional approach.