In order to bolster measures to fight drug menace, Coimbatore district will soon have a Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD), an initiative by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
District Collector G.S. Sameeran on Friday chaired a meeting to discuss the formation of the NCORD and action plan for its functioning. Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan, Coimbatore District (Rural) Superintendent of Police V. Badrinarayanan and officials from several departments took part.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, NCORD mechanism was formed in 2016 for better coordination in the fight against narcotics. This four-tier system has an Apex Level NCORD Committee, Executive Level NCORD Committee, State Level NCORD Committees - headed by Chief Secretaries and District level NCORD Committees - headed by district magistrates.
Awareness programmes
It was decided at the meeting to conduct awareness programmes on drug abuse in schools and colleges by the School and Higher Education Departments with the coordination of parents, said a release.
Teachers and wardens of hostels should alert the authorities if they come to know about drug abuse among students. School authorities should also make sure that banned tobacco products are not being sold in shops around educational institutions, it said.
The Drugs Control Department has to conduct frequent inspections in pharmacies and warehouses to ensure that scheduled drugs are not being sold to persons who do not produce valid prescriptions by qualified medical practitioners. Action should be taken against erring pharmacies.
Coimbatore District Revenue Officer P.S. Leela Alex, Coimbatore District Forest Officer T.K. Ashok Kumar, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital Dean A. Nirmala, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) R. Sughasini, officials from the Health, Drugs Control and other departments took part in the meeting.
