The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has served summons to 20 district Collectors of Andhra Pradesh for not submitting the details on drug abuse and trafficking of children.
The Commission organised a virtual meeting in January this year on ‘Prevention of Drugs and Substance Abuse Among Children and Illicit Trafficking’. With the Collectors of 20 districts not uploading the information even after eight months, the Commission expressed serious concern, said an officer of Krishna district on Saturday.
The NCPCR had said that a Joint Action Plan on ‘Prevention of Drugs and Substance Abuse Among Children and Illicit Trafficking’ had been prepared after discussing the issue with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Women and Child Welfare and other departments, and issued guidelines for implementing it.
Stipulated measures
The Commission had asked the Collectors to explain the measures taken under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, on the installation of CCTVs at schools and colleges, vulnerable places mapping, implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, the cases registered under the JJ Act, installation of CCTVs under Section 133 Cr.P.C, and on holding awareness meetings for students.
It had also asked whether sensitisation and training programmes were conducted in schools, if any de-addiction centres were available in the districts, and whether mapping of children addicted to drugs was done.
The Women and Child Welfare, Social Welfare, Education, Excise, Police, Drug Control Administration and other departments, the District Medical and Health Officers, NGOs and other related bodies should be entrusted the task of implementing the Joint Action Plan, it had said.
The NCPCR had directed the Collectors of all districts to submit the details on the steps taken to prevent drug abuse among children and trafficking in the State.
However, the Collectors of only six districts uploaded the information.
Following this, the NCPCR has summoned the Collectors of the remaining districts and directed them to appear virtually (through video conference) on September 29 and submit the details.
