Lawmakers Demand Shift in Drug Control Strategy

Kathmandu. Lawmakers have strongly demanded a change in the traditional investigation system for drug control in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives.

In the committee meeting held on Thursday, lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emphasized focusing investigations on the main sources and supply chains, stating that apprehending only users would not solve the problem. They drew the government's attention to issues of low budget, weak police mechanisms, and ineffective rehabilitation centers, urging for a concrete action plan.

Speaking at the meeting, RSP lawmaker Kabindra BurlaKoti expressed the view that investigations should go deep to reach the main source of import and the supplier chain. He said, 'It seems we are targeting users too much. But deep investigation should reach the source of import and the supplier chain. As long as the state's access does not reach the main import centers, this problem cannot be solved by focusing only on users.' He suggested raising awareness among children and adolescents two to three years before they reach the age group susceptible to drugs.

Similarly, lawmaker Ramesh Prasai demanded that the Narcotics Control Bureau be provided with maximum resources and means in the upcoming budget, stating that it has been neglected by the state. He suggested finding the reason for the inability to break the drug supply chain and providing special incentives and additional marks to police personnel doing good work in this area.

He noted that individuals returning from rehabilitation centers often relapse into addiction due to a lack of self-esteem and employment opportunities in society, and demanded a concrete plan for actual rehabilitation beyond a six-month stay in a rehabilitation center. His proposal was to include the negative effects of drugs and stories of ruined families in the school curriculum. He stated that drug rehab in Nepal has become like a business, and these centers are extremely expensive, making them inaccessible to low and middle-income families.

Another lawmaker, Amaresh Kumar Singh, claimed that although the Nepal Police is a capable institution, it has not been able to achieve expected results due to political interference. He asserted that if the police were given an environment to work independently, the drug problem at the border could be solved within three months.

He mentioned that due to the prohibition of alcohol in the neighboring Indian state of Bihar, liquor stores have opened in the border areas of Nepal, and Indians come to Nepal to consume alcohol. He said, 'We serve them alcohol, and from there, our youth are fed drugs. Especially students studying in grades 8 to 10 in secondary schools in the Terai region are falling victim to this. The practice of separate informants for the Inspector General of Police, DIG, and SP should be ended, and an integrated intelligence network of the state should be created.'

He urged an end to the 'birthday informant' system, warning that if the same person remains in the role of an informant for 12-15 years, there is a risk of collusion with smugglers increasing. He suggested that the Armed Police should enforce strictness at the border crossings and the National Investigation Department should be mobilized for collecting information on serious crimes like drugs.

In the committee meeting, RSP lawmaker and former Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Bishwaraj Pokharel, made a bitter remark that the state has completely failed to solve the drug problem in Nepal. Stating that efforts over the past five decades have not yielded expected results, he disagreed with the briefings from the Home Secretary and the Inspector General of Police.

He warned, 'Many attempts have been made since the Narcotics Act came into effect in 2033 BS, but they have never been successful. Because families consider it their own weakness and do not blame the state, this issue has never been a state priority. A budget of 5 lakhs annually for buying information is useless.'

Lawmaker Pokharel warned that the drug problem is becoming dire due to open borders and that if not addressed in time, the younger generation could be wiped out within six months. He emphasized that this problem, which started in the Terai, has now spread to the hilly regions, and separate classifications and special plans should be made for production, sales, distribution, trafficking, and storage. He advised the government to move forward with a new budget, new leadership, and a new work direction, as it is not possible to face the upcoming challenges with the old laws, systems, and budget.