Chief Secretary Reviews J&K’s Anti-Narcotics Strategy, Calls for Stronger Enforcement and Faster NDPS Trials
Srinagar, Aug 5: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired the 18th Union Territory-level meeting of the Narcotics Coordination (NCORD) Committee and conducted a comprehensive review of Jammu and Kashmir’s anti-narcotics strategy, directing all stakeholders to intensify enforcement, strengthen prosecution, disrupt organised drug trafficking networks and expand rehabilitation services to achieve the vision of a drug-free Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Director General Prosecution, Principal Secretary Home, Additional Director General of Police (CID), Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, Inspectors General of Police, Deputy Inspectors General, representatives of the Army, Central Armed Police Forces, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), senior civil and police officers, while Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of all districts joined through video conferencing.
Reviewing the implementation of decisions taken during the previous NCORD meeting, the Chief Secretary assessed progress in enforcement, prosecution, preventive detention, financial investigations, demand reduction, rehabilitation, regulatory oversight and institutional capacity building.
The meeting also reviewed the proposed Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–2029) and the roadmap prepared under the Prime Minister’s 100-Week “Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp” campaign, which focuses on technology-driven enforcement, stronger financial investigations, enhanced prosecution, dismantling organised narcotics syndicates, expansion of rehabilitation facilities and improved inter-agency coordination.
Highlighting the success of the 100-day Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyaan, spearheaded by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the Chief Secretary said the campaign had evolved into a mass movement against drug abuse with unprecedented public participation across Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to his extensive visits across the Union Territory, he said the initiative had reached every corner of J&K and significantly strengthened public awareness and community participation in combating substance abuse.
Directing Deputy Commissioners to implement the Prime Minister’s 100-week campaign in its true spirit, Dulloo also instructed the Information Department to regularly monitor and document its outcomes through the NMBA Portal.
To ensure speedy disposal of NDPS cases, the Chief Secretary ordered the operationalisation of video conferencing facilities in all NDPS and Sessions Courts for recording witness statements. He said virtual examination of witnesses would accelerate trials while reducing inconvenience and travel for witnesses.
He further directed the Director General, Prosecution, to review all NDPS cases proposed for closure without appeal to ensure that every legally sustainable case is effectively pursued.
Calling for wider financial investigations against drug traffickers, Dulloo asked the Law Department to examine the applicability of laws including the GST Act, MSME Act, Shops and Establishments Act and Tourism Trade Act, besides closely scrutinising bank accounts and financial transactions to dismantle illicit financial networks linked to narcotics.
Reviewing rehabilitation measures, the Chief Secretary instructed the Health Department to ensure strict implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for de-addiction treatment and directed that all health institutions, from Primary Health Centres to Government Medical Colleges, maintain adequate stocks of medicines required for treatment of substance abuse.
He also reviewed the functioning of inpatient de-addiction facilities in newly established Government Medical Colleges and District Hospitals and called for trained counsellors to be deployed in schools, Primary Health Centres and through Self Help Groups to strengthen community-level interventions.
Dulloo directed that the proposed Rehabilitation Policy be implemented on a pilot basis in selected districts of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions before its Union Territory-wide rollout. He also called for the development of an integrated online platform to monitor rehabilitation, facilitate inter-departmental coordination and ensure effective follow-up of recovering individuals.
Stressing the importance of capacity building, the Chief Secretary sought structured six-month training calendars for investigating officers and prosecutors and asked the Law Department to examine the feasibility of engaging Special Public Prosecutors for NDPS cases on the pattern adopted by the Narcotics Control Bureau.
He also instructed concerned agencies to identify operational vulnerabilities in courier services and establish a robust mechanism to prevent their misuse for transportation of narcotic substances.
Earlier, Inspector General of Police, Crime Branch, Sarah Rizvi, gave a detailed presentation on the progress achieved under the Union Territory’s anti-narcotics strategy.
The presentation revealed a significant increase in enforcement during the current year. Between April and June 2026, authorities registered 1,856 NDPS cases, compared with 428 cases during the corresponding period in 2025 and 381 cases in 2024. During the same period, 2,190 persons were arrested in narcotics-related cases and 1,455 kilograms of narcotic substances were seized.
Financial investigations also witnessed a major boost, with authorities attaching 228 properties worth ₹138.34 crore under the NDPS Act, compared to 31 properties worth ₹7.36 crore during the corresponding period last year. The meeting was informed that the value of properties attached by Jammu and Kashmir Police accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the total value of narcotics-related properties attached across the country in 2026. Bank accounts containing ₹1.40 crore linked to narcotics trafficking were also frozen.
The meeting was further informed that action had been initiated against habitual offenders by recommending cancellation or impounding of 839 driving licences, 612 vehicle registration certificates and 52 passports, besides initiating action against arms licences, contractor licences, government accommodation and security cover extended to identified offenders.
Regarding preventive action, officials informed the meeting that 135 detention proposals had been sponsored under the PIT NDPS Act during 2026, resulting in 113 preventive detention orders against habitual drug traffickers.
The committee also reviewed measures to curb diversion and misuse of pharmaceutical drugs. More than 10,300 inspections of pharmacies and medical establishments detected 312 violations, leading to cancellation of 16 licences and suspension of 296 licences. Authorities also seized 17,528 Pregabalin capsules and 6,190 Tapentadol tablets valued at over ₹17 lakh.
The meeting was informed that sustained action against illegal cultivation resulted in the destruction of 96 kanals of poppy and 1,157 kanals of cannabis during the current year after satellite-based identification of cultivation across six districts of Kashmir division. The eradication drives led to registration of 247 FIRs and booking of 254 cultivators.
The expansion of addiction treatment facilities across all districts and capacity-building initiatives undertaken through IMHANS Kashmir were also reviewed. Officials informed the meeting that more than 4,100 Master Trainers and nearly 4,900 officers and officials had been trained to strengthen the institutional response against substance abuse.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged all stakeholder departments to sustain the momentum generated through coordinated institutional efforts and continue working in close synergy to curb drug trafficking, strengthen rehabilitation mechanisms and realise the vision of a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir. ANB
