Election agenda: Chitta epidemic hits Himachal youth amid political inaction to curb drug menace
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TNR Desk
The smuggling of chitta or synthetic heroine poses a major challenge for Himachal Pradesh with its youth stuck in the dangerous cycle of addiction and repeated governments failing to check the flow of drugs from neighbouring states.
Concrete steps to check drug abuse always emerges as an election agenda and political parties each time make tall promises, only to be forgotten once the poll process gets over. This has led to disillusionment among the voters.
The government has seized assets worth Rs 14.33 crore of drug peddlers over the past few years. As many as 2,136 men and 79 women have been arrested for peddling chittta. Over the past three years, 4,445 persons have been arrested on charges related to chitta smuggling or usage.
In 2014, 557 grams of chitta was seized, which rose to 388 grams in 2015, 634 grams in 2016 and over 3.5 kg in 2017. The seizure in 2018 doubled to 7.7 kg while it stood at 7.9 kg in 2019. In the Covid year 2020, the seizure went down a bit to 6.7 kg and it again rose to around 15 kg in 2021. It 2022, the seizures were 11 kg and stood at 14.7 kg in 2023.
The police authorities attribute the origin of chitta smuggling to Afghanistan and Pakistan, facilitated by drone transport into adjacent states before reaching Himachal Pradesh. The influx of chitta into remote regions and tribal areas underscores the gravity of the situation. This epidemic has precipitated a downward spiral for the state’s youth, leading to societal degradation.
Chitta-related cases have surged since 2017, with escalating quantities seized annually. In response, political leaders advocate for stringent measures, with the Congress urging for amendments to the NDPS Act to deny bail to smugglers, while the BJP emphasises the need for heightened vigilance and awareness programmes, particularly in educational institutions and border areas.
