Focus on Upgrading Rehab Centres, Says EAGLE Chief IGP Ravikrishna
Ravikrishna underlined that drugs such as ganja posed a serious threat not only to individual health but also to families and society.
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh EAGLE chief, IGP Aake Ravikrishna, has said special focus is being placed on strengthening rehabilitation centres across the state and upgrading them into state-of-the-art facilities.
He appealed to the public, saying, “Every mother is a brand ambassador of EAGLE,” and urged citizens to report any information related to drug activity to the toll-free number 1972.
The IGP was speaking at a rehabilitation centre at the government hospital in Vijayawada, where he interacted with patients undergoing treatment for ganja and alcohol addiction in the psychiatry department. He counselled the inmates to stay away from narcotics and make use of the government’s treatment and rehabilitation services to reintegrate themselves into society.
Ravikrishna underlined that drugs such as ganja posed a serious threat not only to individual health but also to families and society. EAGLE is prioritising both enforcement and awareness to tackle the menace, he said.
Highlighting the major initiatives, he said Operation Chaitanya has significantly reduced ganja cultivation, while continuous interception drives are curbing illegal transport, particularly from Odisha’s Malkangiri and Koraput regions. Under Operation Garuda, workshops have been held for medical associations and pharmacies to prevent sale of NRX drugs without prescriptions.
Through Safe Campus Zone, nearly 70 lakh students are being targeted through the 40,000 EAGLE clubs. About 45,000 inspections have been conducted near educational institutions to curb tobacco sales under the COTPA Act, alongside awareness programmes reaching 20 lakh students.
Offences under the NDPS Act attract 10–20 years of imprisonment and would adversely impact passport and visa eligibility, with offenders tracked on CCTNS and NIDHAAN portals. So far, 98 offenders have been jailed under the PIT NDPS Act.
The IGP said, “Over 200 cordon-and-search operations have been conducted, 849 hotspots identified, and drone surveillance deployed. Coordination continues with neighbouring states to strengthen enforcement.”