Nearly two years after Jammu & Kashmir notified a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to declare Panchayats and Urban Local Body (ULB) wards as Nasha Mukt, the situation on the ground remains alarming. Out of more than 4,000 Panchayats, barely 1,000 have managed to achieve drug-free status, while not a single ULB ward across the Union Territory has qualified. These numbers speak louder than any official claim—they reveal that drug abuse has penetrated villages, towns and urban clusters far more deeply than the administration ever anticipated.
The SOP issued in 2023 was envisioned as a comprehensive framework to coordinate various departments, regulate drug-control mechanisms and eliminate both the supply and demand of narcotics at the grassroots level. Yet two years on, its impact remains largely theoretical. The absence of even one drug-free municipal ward underscores a glaring mismatch between planning and execution—between what is written and what is actually happening.
At the heart of the crisis lies a breakdown on three fronts: supply reduction, demand reduction and prevention/awareness. These pillars must work together to create a sustainable drug-free ecosystem, but each one is faltering.
Supply reduction remains the weakest link. Thousands of Panchayats and ULBs continue to report the availability of drugs, indicating that trafficking networks remain active and deeply entrenched. Despite countless arrests of petty peddlers, not a single major trafficker—the real kingpins—has been apprehended. Without dismantling the supply chain from top to bottom, enforcement becomes an exercise in futility. The Jammu & Kashmir Police and the Anti-Narcotics Task Force must intensify targeted, intelligence-driven action; otherwise, the system will continue to leak and drugs will continue to flow.
Demand reduction, too, is collapsing under pressure. A Panchayat or Ward can only be declared drug-free if no addiction case is reported for six consecutive months. Yet rehabilitation centres across the UT are overflowing, with no space left for new patients. This alone reflects the explosive rise in addiction levels. Without comprehensive treatment, counselling and long-term monitoring for every individual affected, the cycle of addiction cannot be broken. Partial rehabilitation cannot produce Nasha Mukt communities.
Prevention and awareness measures have been largely symbolic. Monthly Gram Sabha discussions, Nukkad Nataks, school sensitisation drives, publicity of helplines and sports promotion were meant to build community resistance against drugs. But many of these initiatives happen irregularly, often only around special occasions or official visits. District-level committees formed in 2022 have not been meeting consistently, leaving coordination fractured and accountability weak. If thousands of Panchayats still fail to meet the criteria, it is clear that preventive systems have not taken root.
The gravity of the crisis is unmistakable:
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Two-thirds of Panchayats remain affected by drug abuse, and
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Every single ULB ward continues to grapple with the menace.
This calls for a complete shift in strategy. Piecemeal, event-based or half-hearted efforts will not work. A sustained, coordinated, multi-departmental campaign backed by strict accountability is the only way forward. The SOP already outlines the roadmap; what is missing is seriousness in implementation.
The Government must intervene urgently and decisively. Drug supply hotspots are well known at every level of administration. If meaningful action is still not being taken, the matter becomes even more concerning. Loopholes must be plugged, responsibilities fixed, and progress monitored regularly with full transparency. Police, social welfare, education, health, excise, rural development and local bodies must work in synergy—like in a firefighting operation.
Jammu & Kashmir stands at a critical turning point. With addiction rising, rehabilitation centres overflowing and drug networks thriving, the fight against narcotics must become an all-out war. Without sustained, unwavering commitment, Nasha Mukt J&K risks remaining nothing more than a distant dream.
There is no room for complacency. The Government must act now—before the crisis becomes irreversible.
