Punjab heaves a sigh of relief; addicts at sea
Punjab heaves a sigh of relief; addicts at sea
Rajasthan maintained no record of production/consumption of poppy : says CAG report
Despite veiled threats, we will continue our fight against the threat to the nation t make our road safer : Sidhu, ArriveSafe NGO
Ferozepur, 5 July 2015 : The Rajasthan High Court ordering ban on sale of Poppy Husk Vends in Rajasthan has received mixed response from Punjab. While the Punjab Government welcomes the decision, the addicts of the state are getting jittery who are getting their “stock” without any questions asked.
With this changing dynamics, juxtaposed with stricter policing, the shot up in prices and decision of the court, are likely to help check addiction in the neighboring states.
ArriveSAFE, a Chandigarh based NGO on Road Safety – Harman S Sidhu, President – had filed a PIL through Senior Advocate, Mr. Anil Mehta in the Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur seeking ban on sale of LPH (Lanced Poppy Heads) in the State of Rajasthan and further to declare the policy of the State of Rajasthan for the year 2015-16 for sale of LPH illegal.
It may be added that a road accident in 1996 left Chandigarh resident Harman Singh Sidhu paralyzed from the neck down and confined him to a wheelchair forever. But, the man with true grit did not give up on life. To get out of the trauma, he started an NGO, Arrive Safe, to save others from meeting the same fate.
Speaking to this correspondent, Harman S.Sidhu – a social activists on wheel chair running NGO under the name of ArriveSafe – said, “The CAG in its Audit report found that no “register and “file of inspection” of sale was maintained in the EC office. Further, no record of cultivation had been maintained giving a free hand to the benami persons to do business. This raises a serious doubt on the Rajasthan Government’s “de addiction” exercise as they no clear record of production of LPH (Laced Poppy Husk) and its sale. As per the Report, even the State has been losing heavily on the Excise Duty”.
He further shared that in Para 13 the Order says, “Since there is no effort whatsoever by the State Government, to either map the usage, register the addicts, and to progressively reduce the supply of quantities to the users under medical prescription.”
The Order in the penultimate para states, “The sale shall be recorded to be progressively reduced every month in accordance with the directions issued by the Central Government. An affidavit giving number of persons, to whom sale is made, and the total quantities sold in each district, may be compiled and presented by the Excise Commissioner, Government of Rajsthan, Udaipur, to the High Court from 7th of every succeeding month”, he added.
Harman Singh Sidhu, President of the NGO says he has been getting hate messages and veiled threats since the order was announced. He says, “We will continue fighting this war which is a real threat to the Nation and to make our Road Safer.”
