NDPS act to be made more stringent to eliminate drug mafias: Himachal CM

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act would be amended and made more stringent to eliminate the drug mafia in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told Vidhan Sabha during question hour on Wednesday.

''I have spoken to the Union Home Minister regarding this and a blueprint of new provision to be added is being prepared,'' he said, adding that the government would regularly rotate employees working at police, excise and forest check posts in border areas.

Replying to a question raised by Congress' Malender Rajan, Sukhu said complaints have been received about employees posted at check posts of police, excise and forest departments and the government has decided to rotate them. The practice of posting the employees repeatedly at the same place would be done away with to check corruption, he added. Replying to a question, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said 187 cases were registered under NDPS Act during the past three years in the Indora Assembly Constituency and 252 accused were arrested.

Meanwhile, charge sheets have been filed against 245 accused in 181 cases and five cases are under investigation, he said adding that property worth Rs 6.95 crore was confiscated.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur told Balbir Verma (BJP) that five schools in the Chopal constituency have zero enrollment while eight schools are without any teachers, adding that no school in the hill state would be without teachers.