Shillong, April 10 (PTI) Meghalaya Social Welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday announced the setting up of an Addict Treatment Facility (ATF) at the New Shillong Township to deal with cases of drug addictions across the state.

The decision to set up the ATF was taken at a meeting of the Drug Reduction Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM) he chaired here and attended by DGP Idashisha Nongrang, DREAM mission director Francis G Kharshiing, SP of Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), DHS, Medical Superintendent of Shillong civil hospital.

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Addressing media persons, Lyngdoh said drug addicts picked up from the streets and various parts of the city do not have any facility for immediate treatment.

The minister said the Meghalaya DGP is pursuing with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for installation of vehicle scanning machines at entry points at Ri Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts to stop entry of drugs into the state.

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"In fact, this is a proposal from the Home ministry. They have shared their concerns about North East India becoming an epicentre of narcotics and based on that input they have offered these scanners to us. So, DGP is on the job. She is following this up with the MHA. It will take some time but the process is on," he said.

Additionally, the government has procured 9 trained dogs, which will be part of the dog squads to assist the state's Anti-Narcotic Task Force in detecting narcotics and drugs entering Meghalaya.

"These dogs are being sent for training by professionals and once that is completed, they will also join the state's ANTF in assisting us to detect narcotics and drugs entering Meghalaya," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)