Team Herald
PORVORIM: In the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is well-versed with all subjects, the Opposition benches managed to corner the ruling coalition on the rampant drug menace in the State, as the latter were not being able to provide satisfactory responses. MLAs went on to allege that Goa Police is not serious in freeing Goa from the illicit trade.
MLA Clafasio Dias, who along with Digambar Kamat, Antonio Fernandes, Wilfred D’Sa and Isidore Fernandes tabled a starred question on the availability of drugs in Goa alleged that the menace has reached schools. “I don’t think the police are serious, or else drugs would not have made their way into compounds of schools,” Dias alleged.
PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar, who is in charge of the government in the CM’s absence, began reading the written reply circulated to the members of the House but the Opposition expressed their dissatisfaction to the answers.
MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco supported the MLAs citing an example wherein a student had confided in his parents that his schoolmates would mock him for not taking drugs. “It is not Udta Punjab, but Udta Goa now,” the MLA commented referring to the 2016 Bollywood movie Udta Punjab that portrayed drug abuse among young population.
The minister complained that no school
responded to Goa Police’s written communication to cooperate in its mission to ensure that educational institutes and children are kept away from the menace.
Not convinced with the reply, Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar countered Dhavalikar pointing to three letters from different schools in the Cujira Complex wherein help was sought. “These schools had written three letters to the department two years back. It had also mentioned about how students are suspected to be taking drugs, but there is no action till date,” he said.
Dias then shot a string of supplementary questions seeking to know the types of drugs available, if Goa Police is trained to detect the drugs and measures to curtail the illicit trade.
Dhavalikar replied that upon receipt of specific/reliable information from sources, raids are conducted. To the Congress MLA’s following question on the type of drugs, the minister referred to a long list of raids and arrested accused caught with different drugs. He also stated that drug-prone areas are being kept under police watch and that as per directives received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Anti-Narcotic Task Force Committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of DIG ANC.
MLA Felip Neri Rodrigues then asked the government to produce details on whether drug dealers are operating from Goa or elsewhere, and if Goa, where were they. He demanded action. Similarly, NCP’s Churchill Alemao demanded a separate cell and separate patrolling teams around colleges to keep a tab on such activity.
Pratapsingh Rane raised the issue of deportation of foreigners involved in drug-related offences. He alleged that some foreign nationals run the trade in the guise of students, as they arrive in Goa on student visas. “Ban them from entering the country. Deport them,” he demanded.
