Karnataka is no Udta Punjab', asserts Dr G Parameshwar

Belagavi: Contending that the drug menace in the State can no way be compared with Punjab, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar said a special drive will be launched throughout the State against peddlers and manufacturers of narcotics. Replying to a calling attention moved by Ramachandra Gowda of BJP in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, he termed the situation in Punjab as ‘danger’ with that state recording 36 per cent of drug abuse cases reported across the country. On the other hand Karnataka has hardly registered .06 (point zero percent).

In 2014, 42 cases were registered and 83 people arrested, in 2015, 69 cases were registered and 141 people were held, while in the current year (till October|) 93 cases had been registered and 234 people have been arrested. According to all India figures 50,796 cases were registered in 2015 and Punjab accounted for 36 per cent.

Pharma units:

Dr Parameshwar said small pharmaceutical units were operating on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where chemical based narcotic drugs and tablets were being manufactured and sold to other states and smuggled to other countries. The Minister said drug peddlers were selling more chemical-based drugs than  plant-based ones to youths and schoolchildren.

Special cell:

The Home Minister said special cells had been created in Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Belagavi to check the sale of narcotics. In addition, 45 special police stations, which were hitherto engaged in checking the sale of illegal lotteries, have now been assigned to curb drug trafficking. The cell would arrest drug peddlers, manufacturers and keep an eye on pharmaceutical units.

Foreign students:

Dr Parameshwar said students from African nations come to Bengaluru on one-year visa for study, but purposefully commit some offence to stay back in the city after obtaining bail. Once they are arrested, they would not be allowed to leave the city until the cases booked against them were disposed of. As many as 1,500 overstaying African students, from countries like Nigeria and Tanzania, were being deported.