Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma announces de-addiction centres in every district

Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday announced plans to set up de-addiction centres in every district and launch a major crackdown on identified drug hotspots as part of the state’s mission to become drug-free.

The announcement came after a meeting of the Drug Reduction, Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM), attended by senior officials from multiple departments and representatives of faith-based organizations.

Sangma directed the Health and Social Welfare departments to make the de-addiction centres operational within the next three to four months, ensuring basic infrastructure.

These centres may operate within government hospitals, private institutions, or through partnerships with NGOs. The meeting also discussed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for running the centres and emphasized community participation and trained manpower.

On law enforcement, Sangma instructed the police to intensify surprise checks and install CCTVs at drug-prone areas to curb street-level sales. Over the past five years, police have seized narcotics worth over Rs 412 crore and arrested more than 1,060 individuals in drug-related cases.

“Even one drug user is alarming for me,” Sangma said, adding that the government will continue its efforts until every drug user is rehabilitated and Meghalaya is entirely drug-free.