Team Herald
PANJIM: With the government committed to zero tolerance to the drug trade, Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar has issued directions to shack operators to provide details if they come across any sale of narcotics in their premises or locality.
The shack allotment process for the season 2017-18 commenced from Monday and will be completed by September 20. The new tourism season will start in October.
“Our Chief Minister (Manohar Parrikar) is very clear that State should be drug-free,” the minister told media persons after chairing the high-level meeting with coastal MLAs on infrastructure.
He said that directions have been issued to the local bodies like panchayats and shack operators to intimate either the department or the police if they come across any instances related to drug sale or consumption.
“We have told the shack operators to directly call me or my office or the police and inform about drugs,” Azgaonkar said.
Following the death of two youths from Tamil Nadu due to drug overdose last month, police have begun an extensive crackdown on the drug trade across the State.
Earlier, Congress Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte alleged the possibility of a police-drug mafia nexus in the coastal belt. “Politicians across party lines are against drugs and are working in their respective constituencies to get rid of it,” he said.
“I am not saying all police are involved but definitely there are some police officers in coastal belts who are protecting and promoting these drug peddlers,” Sopte added. The MLA said the government needs to closely monitor the functioning of the police in the coastal areas.
