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Punjab Govt Launches 'Drug Screening Drive' Among Jail Inmates, To Provide De-Addiction Treatment
Writer: Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Punjab, 11 July 2022 9:20 AM GMT
Editor : Snehadri Sarkar |
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Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
This state-wide scheme aims to make jails free of illegal drugs and impart provisions for inmates who have fallen prey to drugs to undergo de-addiction treatment and rehabilitate.
The Punjab government, on Saturday, July 11, launched a drug screening drive for diagnosing drug abuse among jail inmates. Under the pilot project, the Roopnagar District Jail successfully conducted the screening of all the 950 inmates present in prison.
The screening was conducted in the presence of the Director-General of Police (DGP) Prisons Harpreet Sing Sidhu, Inspector-General Prisons Roop Kumar and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Prisons Surinder Singh, and Jail Superintendent Kulwant Singh.
Some officers of other jails across the state also participated to have first-hand experience in implementing this drive in their respective prisons. The final results of the screening drive will be released within a day, after which further action will be initiated.
Aim Of 'Drug Screening Drive'
According to India Today, a brainchild of Punjab Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains, this state-wide scheme aims to make jails free of illegal drugs besides imparting provisions for inmates who have fallen prey to drugs, to undergo de-addiction treatment and get rehabilitated.
Divulging details, Bains said that the project will be executed across all prisons and is another effort by the state government to bring reforms in the Punjab prisons. He said, "It was for the first time such an extensive drive had been taken up to cover the entire inmate population of a prison for drug screening on a single day."
The minister said, "This project will help in identifying those inmates with substance-use disorders who not yet undergoing treatment at OOAT Clinics/Deaddiction facilities established within the prison system."
Stricter Rules If Inmates Found Consuming Illegal Narcotics
According to Hindustan Times, Bains said that to ensure these persons undergo de-addiction treatment, FIRs will also be lodged under Section 27 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act if any such person is found consuming illegal narcotics.
He said that the jails department would also request the investigation and prosecution authorities to enforce Section 64A of the NDPS Act. He added this would allow such inmates to get treated and avail immunity from prosecution through court.
The minister said the jails department aimed to involve experts in improving de-addiction treatment, peer support, and counselling facilities for prison inmates.
He said that the police would be requested to conduct a thorough probe into all cases registered under this drive to seal any loopholes in the prison system regarding illegal drug supply.
Further, he appreciated the jails department and assured all support to them in making prisons drug-free and cracking down on any corrupt practices.
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