AGARTALA, June 25 - The law enforcement agencies in Tripura have been keeping a close eye on the drug smuggling route � Myanmar-Mamit district (Mizoram)-Damcherra, a remote village in North Tripura district, the State Assembly was informed here on Monday.
�The government and law enforcement agencies are on the move to block the drug smuggling route because it poses threat to the young generation at Damcherra area, adjacent to Mizoram�, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told the House in response to a query from treasury bench member Sushanta Chowdhury.
The Chief Minister was replying to a calling attention notice by chief whip Kalyani Roy on the progress of making Tripura a drug-free State. Deb said, �The BJP-IPFT Government has vowed to make Tripura an addiction- free State and the drive against illegal business � banned cough syrups, ganja, heroin and brown sugar has yielded tremendous result over the past 100 days�.
�Apart from seizure of huge amount of contraband items � 12,035 kg ganja, 50,116 banned cough syrup bottles and 564.4 gram of brown sugar and heroin, altogether 97 persons were arrested for their involvement in smuggling of drugs�, he said.
�The crackdown against the drugs peddlers will continue until Tripura becomes a complete drug-free State and this will be possible only if all section of people including members of opposition bench render help to the drive�, he stated.
Chowdhury, from treasury bench, wanted to know if the government plans to block the drug corridor � Myanamar-Mizoram-Tripura.
Deb replied, �The government is aware about the menace � rising number of injecting drug users at Damcherra and its adjacent areas. Steps have been taken to prevent smuggling of drugs through the neighbouring State from Myanmar�.
According to Chowdhury, there has been a spurt in the number of HIV positive cases at Damcherrra due to use of single syringe that has raised an alarm bell among people working against AIDS and HIV.
