By Pradeep Kumar
ITANAGAR, Aug 13: It is difficult to believe but true that an officer of the state Govt convinced high level national governing body of Narcotic Funds for control of drug abuse twice in recent past to win first project under NFCDA envisioned section 7 of NDPS Act, 1985 to provide alternative livelihood to opium cultivators.
On being informed by New Delhi-based senior journalist Praful Singh that one GoAP officer has created a milestone, when this editor approached state chief secretary Satya Gopal here today, he admitted to the appreciable performances of state’s narcotic nodal officer Oli Koyu, who was sent to the national capital with his approval and advice to attend the above meetings.
The GoAP is committed to make Arunachal Pradesh a ‘drug free state’ for which numerous steps have been initiated, the CS told in an exclusive interview to this daily, adding that the drug abuse has been posing a serious threat to the younger generation of this Himalaya state, for which a state level coordination committee (SLCC) meeting on drug abuse at his initiative was conducted on March 7 last to take stock of the situation and formulate a comprehensive policy to deal with the prevailing menace.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein had told all participating officers, including the CS, DGP, all DCs and SPs, all link departments dealing with narcotics besides excise & narcotic department that drug abuse contributes to law and order problems in the state. Moreover, the meeting was unanimous on dovetailing all central and state Govts flagship programmes to achieve the goal, particularly in opium growing districts of Tirap, Changlang, Longding, Namsai, Lohit, Anjaw, Dibang and Lower Dibang Valley districts. Thus, they had decided to take concrete steps urgently to eradicate opium cultivation. The meeting had also approved a comprehensive policy, he disclosed.
Moreover, a meeting of state level multi-disciplinary coordination committee (SLMDCC) for coordination, control and eradication of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was held at his imitative on August 2 last which was attended by all above officers besides representatives of 3 core and 4 core representatives.
While Koyu has been appointed as member secretary of SLMDCC, the comprehensive policy formed is being studied now by the DyCM, Tax & Excise Minister Jarkar Gamlin and the CS himself for giving approval for its implantation.
It may be mentioned here that United Nations Organisation and United Nations Drugs office on Drugs and Crime (UNoDC) under its UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) have set guidelines to tackle such menace turning global threat including India, with four-pronged strategy, particularly controlling opium cultivation with zero tolerance, rehabilitation of drug addicts, provide alternative livelihood to the cultivators in of the state.
The national governing body members were reluctant to approve the project fearing it could open a floodgate of demands from other opium affected state, but reportedly Koyu had argued that his state is totally different in India being the only state of India where Mishmi, Khampti/Singpho and Wancho communities are traditionally dependent on opium. His forceful argument had convinced the NGB to give green signal to approve the project for providing alternate livelihood to opium growers in principle.
It may be mentioned here that Mumbai-based financial consultant Anup Ganguly had called on the CS today to apprise him of the alternate livelihood schemes which he could facilitate through financial institutions. He reportedly also met Koyu later.