Srinagar, May 8: Jammu & Kashmir Health Minister Sakina Itoo on Thursday criticised the demolition of properties during the ongoing anti-drug campaign, saying the fight against substance abuse should focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than targeting families.
Addressing the media, the minister supported efforts to curb drug abuse but expressed concern over the manner in which some actions were being carried out under the anti-drug drive.
“Stopping drugs is the Home Department’s job. Our work is treatment, counselling and rehabilitation in hospitals,” she said, while adding that anti-drug efforts should not lead to harassment of ordinary people.
Referring to the ongoing crackdown against drug peddlers and alleged offenders, Sakina Itoo said, “The LG’s effort is fine, but don’t make people targets under this pretext.”
The minister also claimed that official Health Department data indicated a higher number of drug addicts in the Jammu region than in Kashmir.
“As Health Minister, I tell you there are more drug addicts in Jammu. But the way houses are being broken and properties attached in Kashmir is wrong,” she said.
She strongly objected to the demolition of residential properties, particularly in cases where the property belonged to parents or family members of accused individuals.
“If some child is an addict, rehabilitate him. Don’t bulldoze homes and destroy families. This makes people more negative,” she said.
Sakina Itoo said the issue had earlier been raised by her party while in the opposition and that a committee had been constituted to examine the matter. She said the committee’s document was currently with the Health Department and that legislation on the issue would be brought before the Assembly.
The minister also stressed the need to target the supply chain and identify the main sources of narcotics instead of focusing solely on punitive measures against families.
“For us, Jammu & Kashmir is one. Control drugs in Jammu too. But harassing people in Kashmir under this pretext must stop,” she added.
