To deal with the drug mafia with an iron hand in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution to amend Section 37 of the NDPS Act to make it more stringent.

In this resolution, it was decided to make all drug trades a non-bailable offence, so that drug mafia cannot escape from the clutches of the law time and again by taking advantage of the low quantity of drugs.

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri introduced a resolution in the House.

In the resolution, it was decided to adopt the policy of zero tolerance against drugs to make the state drug-free.

The resolution that would be sent to the Central government recommends incorporating the amendments proposed by Himachal Pradesh Government in the Central Act NDPS 1985, so as to strengthen and empower all agencies related to drug control so that strict legal action can be taken against the criminals involved in drugs and its trade.

Agnihotri said that in the resolution, besides making the drug trade completely non-bailable, it is also recommended to impose at least 10 to 20 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs five lakh to those who do so.

Those involved in the drug trade by forming gangs have also been recommended to be sentenced to life imprisonment in the resolution and confiscation of property earned from the illegal trade, he added.

The deputy chief minister said, “Apart from tightening the noose against those involved in the drug trade, it has also been recommended to bring the stakeholders on a single platform and form committees at the state and district levels.”

These committees will be made up of people from different sections of society and it will also be the work of these committees to run an awareness campaign against drugs, he added.

Agnihotri said that drugs were destroying generations and the state government was determined to make the state drug-free.

Urging all the MLAs not to use their influence in the police station in cases related to drugs, he said that ‘Chitta’ has made a huge detrimental impact on the youth of the state.

He also appealed for strong support from the entire House against drugs.

Agnihotri said that 728 people have been arrested in 530 cases registered under the NDPS Act till February 28, since the present government assumed power in the state.

Out of these, charge sheets have been filed against 238 people in 182 cases, while the investigation is going on in the rest of the cases, he said, adding that in two cases the court has delivered punishment.