Lucknow: Chief secretary SP Goyal on Monday emphasised the need to curb trafficking, consumption and sale of narcotic substances and called for more effective drug-free awareness campaigns across Uttar Pradesh.While chairing a meeting of the state-level committee of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD), the CS said at least two NCORD meetings must be mandatorily held every month in all districts while stringent legal action ensured against persons involved in the consumption and buying/selling of illegal narcotic substances. During the meetings, officials will have to review arrests of accused under PIT NDPS Act, property seizure of accused, physical verification of crops of licenced opium cultivators, functioning of de-addiction centres operated by the social welfare department, progress of work being done under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, monitoring by the excise department on the sale of ganja at bhang shops, and awareness programmes being run in schools by the education department. Goyal said a review of licenced bhang shops should be carried out, and the number of shops should be limited as per regional requirement. “An online system should be developed for monitoring the supply and sale of codeine-based cough syrup, and physical verification of stock storage locations must be ensured. Special attention must be paid at hotspots or potential hotspots like schools and hostels,” he said. Inspector general of police, ANTF, Abdul Hameed, said 846 district-level seminars were organised under NCORD in 2025 and 144 up to Feb in 2026. From 2022 to Feb 2026, 2,71,802 kg of seized material, with an estimated value of approximately Rs 925 crore, was disposed of. Around 840 cases were registered up to Feb in 2026, and 1,176 persons were arrested, and 6,229.78 kg of illegal narcotic substances were recovered. Similarly, 56 cases were registered by ANTF so far in 2026, and 107 accused were arrested, and 2,827.50 kg of illegal narcotic substances worth Rs 53.98 crore recovered. Awareness campaigns are also being carried out, he said.
