DGP in touch with MHA for procuring vehicle scanners
Shillong, Apr 10: The state government has geared up for the fight against drugs by equipping itself with vehicle scanners and sniffer dogs to detect hidden drugs.
While the sniffer dogs are under training, the government is pursuing the matter of procuring vehicle scanners with the Centre.
The state DGP has been in touch with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for installation of vehicle scanning machines at the state’s entry points in Ri Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts to stop entry of drugs into the state, social welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh told reporters on Thursday.
In fact, the minister said, the proposal for vehicle scanners to detect hidden drugs came from MHA, which was concerned about North East India becoming an epicentre of narcotics.
“The DGP is on the job. She is following this up with MHA. It will take some time, but the process is on,” he said after chairing a meeting of Drug Reduction Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM).
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh said, the government has procured nine trained dogs, which will be part of the dog squads to assist the state’s Anti-Narcotic Task Force in detecting narcotics and drugs entering Meghalaya.
“These dogs are being sent for training by professionals and once that is completed, they will also join the state’s ANTF in assisting us to detect narcotics and drugs entering Meghalaya,” he said.
Asked, Lyngdoh said the training will be over in the next couple of months and the dogs will be engaged in the drug hotspots as listed in the DREAM mission statement.
“We have clearly demarcated and identified districts and localities within those districts and that information has already been shared in the public domain,” he added.
