Shillong: In a significant development, Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh announced that the Meghalaya government has identified seven districts as hotspots of drug addiction and trafficking.
The minister expressed concern over the escalating incidents of drug abuse in these districts, labelling it a critical issue that demands immediate attention.
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The identified districts include East Khasi Hills, East and West Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi, West Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, and South Garo Hills.
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The government has also pinpointed specific localities and villages within these districts that are particularly vulnerable to drug-related issues.
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Within East Khasi Hills, areas such as Madanriting, Jhalupara, Laitumkhrah, Nongthymmai, Polo, Nongmynsong, Mawlai, Mawprem, Lumdiengjri, Iew Mawlong, Mawngap, Mawryngkneng, and Pynursla have been identified as hotspots.
Minister Lyngdoh acknowledged the challenges in obtaining accurate statistics on drug users due to cases where individuals visit different rehabilitation centres using multiple identities.
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To address this issue, the government is implementing the ‘DREAM’ project, an initiative aimed at achieving a drug-free Meghalaya.
The project will establish a unified online and offline platform across all centres to ensure correct and anonymous data collection.
In response to queries about drug-related deaths, Minister Lyngdoh assured that the fresh survey would include mortality figures, providing a comprehensive assessment of the situation.
