Vijayawada: Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha has said that the state govt is determined to crack down on ganja mafia in the state.
Admitting that the ganja mafia has spread into rural areas, including schools and colleges and posed a big threat to the future of younger generation, the minister said that the govt has already constituted a special task force headed by additional DG rank official to tackle the menace.
Responding to queries of the members in the assembly on Thursday, the home minister said that AP has become a hub of ganja mafia chiefly due to the failure of the previous YSRCP regime to curb it.
She said that the previous chief minister did not conduct even a single review meeting to handle the issue throughout his five years. “It is a fact that ganja market has spread to various corners of the state. It is painful to see several parents struggling to handle their ganja addicted kids. I have witnessed the anguish of parents during our leader Nara Lokesh’s padayatra following which Lokesh has resolved to handle this menace,” said Anitha.
She explained that they have already slapped cases against 916 people in the last five months and seized about 25,000 kg ganja stock.
She asserted that no one will be allowed to go scot-free in ganja cases. She said that they found that just two check-posts were located in ganja producing districts during the previous regime.
“We have increased surveillance by checking additional check-posts. We will not allow even a single vehicle with ganja came out of agency area where the ganja production is prevalent,” said Anitha.
She said that they would implement a multi-pronged strategy to handle the issue while encouraging the producers with alternative crops and slapping the cases against the peddlers. She said that they have arrested a pharmacist in Visakhapatnam central prison soon after getting caught with the stock which could not have been expected during the previous regime.
She said that they would also take up awareness programmes in educational institutions to make the students keep away from such substances. She said that parents are also required to handle their children carefully as the issue is very sensitive.
She said that they would take all possible measures to ensure that the stocks do not reach any educational institution in the state.
Admitting that the ganja mafia has spread into rural areas, including schools and colleges and posed a big threat to the future of younger generation, the minister said that the govt has already constituted a special task force headed by additional DG rank official to tackle the menace.
Responding to queries of the members in the assembly on Thursday, the home minister said that AP has become a hub of ganja mafia chiefly due to the failure of the previous YSRCP regime to curb it.
She said that the previous chief minister did not conduct even a single review meeting to handle the issue throughout his five years. “It is a fact that ganja market has spread to various corners of the state. It is painful to see several parents struggling to handle their ganja addicted kids. I have witnessed the anguish of parents during our leader Nara Lokesh’s padayatra following which Lokesh has resolved to handle this menace,” said Anitha.
She explained that they have already slapped cases against 916 people in the last five months and seized about 25,000 kg ganja stock.
She asserted that no one will be allowed to go scot-free in ganja cases. She said that they found that just two check-posts were located in ganja producing districts during the previous regime.
“We have increased surveillance by checking additional check-posts. We will not allow even a single vehicle with ganja came out of agency area where the ganja production is prevalent,” said Anitha.
She said that they would implement a multi-pronged strategy to handle the issue while encouraging the producers with alternative crops and slapping the cases against the peddlers. She said that they have arrested a pharmacist in Visakhapatnam central prison soon after getting caught with the stock which could not have been expected during the previous regime.
She said that they would also take up awareness programmes in educational institutions to make the students keep away from such substances. She said that parents are also required to handle their children carefully as the issue is very sensitive.
She said that they would take all possible measures to ensure that the stocks do not reach any educational institution in the state.
