Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, May 9
The Punjab Government has not issued new licences to opium addicts to register them for getting its supply since 1983. Addicts have alleged that due to lack of required de-addiction facilities, they are forced to buy black-market opium and poppy husk.
On Monday, addicts from Sangrur met the Patiala MP and sought his help in raising their voice for permission for opium cultivation in Punjab.
On May 1, under the banner of “Opium supporters”, they protested in Bhawanigarh, under Sangrur district, and raised slogans against the government for not allowing them to grow opium. They have launched a campaign to support opium cultivation.
“I remained fit and worked more than 14 hours per day till I got a dose of pure opium. But for the last 8-10 years, I have been unwell after I shifted to medical drugs due to the paucity of traditional drugs. I wanted to leave drugs, but de-addiction centres do not have the required facilities,” alleged a 52-year-old truck driver from Bhawanigarh.
The government figures show that in 1986, there were total 48 registered opium addicts in Sangrur district alone. The number came down to 13 in 2008 and presently only five are left. The government used to issue licence after thorough medical examination of addicts and fixed the dose. Registered addicts received their opium dose from their respective hospitals.
Pradeep Mattu, Joint Commissioner, Drugs, Punjab, confirmed that licences were stopped in 1983 and he refused to speak further on the issue. “Labourers are dying due to lack of de-addiction facilities in government centres as they do not have money to pay to private centres. We have launched a campaign to secure permission for opium cultivation,” said Ram Singh Mattra, state president of the Punjab Palledar Mazdoor Dal, who met MP Dr Dharamvir Gandhi with Gurtej Jhaneri, state committee member of the Truckers Joint Action Committee. Dharamvir Gandhi said he had raised the issue with the Punjab government last week for allowing opium cultivation in a small area under its strict supervision.
“People are now dying due to overdose of synthetic drugs. A Bill moved by me to decriminalise opium cultivation is pending in the Lok Sabha,” Gandhi told The Tribune.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2rA7D3Q
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