Drug control officer assigned after 45 years

KATHMANDU, Jan 13: The government has assigned the drug control officer 45 years after the governing law Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act was enacted in 1976. 

According to the Narcotic Control Section under the Ministry of Home Affairs, a Cabinet meeting held on January 5 assigned the section chief of the Narcotics Control Section and assistant Chief District Officer of each district as the Drug Control Officer.  

Earlier, the chief of the Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division took charge of the Drug Control Officer at the Ministry. 

There is a provision that one or more drug control officers, deputy officers and other officers can be assigned. 

This provision is for virtue, health and convenience of people following increasing incidents of purchase, sale and use of illegal drugs, said the chief undersecretary of the Narcotic Control Section, Gokarna Prasad Upadhyay. 

The assignment aims to control the transaction and use of illegal drugs by making the district administration office of all 77 districts active in this regard as efforts of the Narcotic Control Section and Nepal Police were not enough, said the Ministry. 

The drug control officer is tasked with creating awareness to prevent and control narcotic substances, monitoring transits from where illegal drugs are transported, coordinating with the provincial and local levels on the matter and reporting to the Ministry accordingly.