Jamshedpur: Jamshedpur (West) MLA Saryu Roy on Tuesday said he will launch a dedicated helpline number which will enable residents to report betting, gambling and narcotics-related activities in their respective localities.The move, the JD (U) legislator said, is aimed at organising a public-driven campaign to curb the growing menace of narcotics, betting and gambling in the city through community participation and closer coordination with law enforcement agencies.Besides a dedicated MLA helpline number to gather information from residents, Roy said monitoring committees will also be formed in every police station’s limits. A local coordinator will head each unit, keep track of illegal operations and share information with the police.
Saryu Roy (sitting, third from left) during a meeting on Monday evening
Retired IAS officer Manoj Singh has been appointed apex coordinator to oversee the campaign, which will be rolled out across the urban areas in phases.The campaign will formally begin with a ‘Vichar Kranti Mahotsav’ on Oct 2, coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The programme will bring together citizens, social workers and community leaders to deliberate on the causes behind the rise of drug abuse and gambling and explore possible solutions.“Earlier, gambling activities such as Habba-Dabba were conducted discreetly, but today they are taking place openly at fairs and public events, often in full public view. The social consequences can no longer be ignored,” Roy said.Singh said youth and prominent residents would be actively involved in the committees. Awareness programmes and seminars will also be conducted in schools, colleges and other institutions to educate young people about the harmful effects of drug abuse and gambling.The campaign comes close on the heels of a major police crackdown under Operation Zero Tolerance between July 1 and Aug 31. During the drive, police arrested 67 accused persons and seized 133.9 kg of ganja, 108.6 grams of brown sugar, 10 country-made firearms and 15 live cartridges. Eighteen cases were registered under the NDPS Act, and 36 persons were arrested for drug peddling.
