Uttar Pradesh has adopted the policy of zero tolerance towards drugs and the state government is ready to extend full cooperation to the Central government in its attempt to make India a drug-free nation, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here on Monday.

Attending a virtual regional Conference on ‘Drugs Trafficking and National Security’ which was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Yogi said besides harming the nation’s youth, drugs have a negative impact on society as a whole and that’s why it is necessary to enforce a ban on narcotics drugs effectively.

The CM said today, on the occasion of this regional conference, in the virtual presence of all of the dignitaries, a total of 4146.75 kg of drugs have been disposed of under a total of 984 charges in the state of UP.

“In accordance with the guidelines of the Hon’ble Home Minister, the state-level committee of National Narcotics Coordination (NCORD) has been formed in UP whereas district-level committees have been formed in all 75 districts. A total of four meetings of the state-level committee of NCORD have been held in the state so far,” he said, adding that in the first state-level meeting, it was decided to form Anti-Narcotics Task Force.

In the second meeting, it was made mandatory to install steel-plated warning boards in all restaurants/pubs/bars, etc. while changing the Excise policy. In the third meeting, it was decided to establish the Advanced Data Processing Research Institute, satellite mapping, and destruction of the opium poppy crops.

In the meeting of the Chief Minister’s level committee, instructions were given to form NCORD in all the districts and to organize regular meetings of the district-level committee. NCORD has been formed in all 75 districts. In the year 2023, a total of 153 meetings of the district-level committee of NCORD have been held so far, he said.

Yogi Adityanath said the ANTF police stations have been set up in Gorakhpur, Meerut, and Barabanki, in the first phase and in Jhansi, Saharanpur, and Ghazipur in the second phase.

“Action against drugs in the state is being taken continuously following the policy of zero tolerance. While taking action against drugs in the state, from the year 2020 to June 2023, in a total of 35,775 cases, a total of 39,344 persons were arrested and and more than 2,13, 726 kgs of drugs were seized. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force has arrested a total of 108 people in a total of 40 cases and recovered about 6,569 kg of narcotics in the state since its formation in August 2022. In the year 2023, ANTF demolished two drug factories in Agra district and one in Bareilly district, totaling three drug factories,” CM informed.

In order to speed up the drug addiction awareness campaign, a total of 22 drug de-addiction centers are functional in the state. On June 26, 2023, International Drug Prevention Day, a swearing-in program was organized at the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and the police offices of all the districts of the state, CM said.