Congress brigade demands crackdown on illegal drug trade at Goldighi Mall

The Congress Sevadal Young Brigade, on Thursday, submitted a memorandum to the Silchar Municipal Board’s chairperson Niharendra Narayan Tagore seeking necessary measures to tackle the menace of alleged drug trafficking at Goldighi Municipal Mall in Silchar.

The two-page memorandum said illegal drug trade within the municipal areas of Silchar town has increased by leaps and bounds in recent times and a large number of youths are indulged in drugs consumption. Data collected from different rehabilitation centres reveal that there has been an alarming increase in the number of such people, the memorandum said.

The Congress members alleged in the memorandum that the Goldighi Mall, one of the plush shopping hubs in Silchar, has become a haven for drug consumption. Three dead bodies have been recovered from the mall in recent times, but no step is being taken to prevent such occurrences. From the negligence, it seems like the present municipal board is unconcerned about the problems and ground realities, management and security system in the mall, they said.

Apart from that, the members pointed out the absence of lights in a number of areas in the town which makes it easier for people to buy and carry drugs. Police have failed to carry out regular patrolling in sensitive places and the municipality has not come up with any scheme to prevent illegal trading of drugs. Highlighting the issue, the members placed a number of demands and sought their fulfillment at the earliest.

The demands include co-ordination by the municipal board with police authority to identify the sensitive places of drug trafficking and consumption, proper light arrangement in sensitive areas of Silchar where illegal drug sale is identified to be sold and consumed, awareness programmes in different schools and colleges and thorough verification of the background, qualification of officials inducted for security purposes at Goldighi Mall among others.

The members also threatened to launch a democratic movement if the municipal board fails to fulfill their demands within next 15 days.