Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh sounded an alarm on Thursday, claiming that drug trafficking routes have shifted to Meghalaya, attributing the issue to the unrest in neighboring Manipur. He noted that the situation in Manipur has led to a shift in drug trade routes, moving activity into Meghalaya.
“The unfortunate thing is because of our strategic location very close to the Golden Triangle, and the fact that the unrest in Manipur has led to a shift of the trade from that particular area to Meghalaya,” Lyngdoh said.
In response to this challenge, the Meghalaya Government is determined to combat the drug menace. Lyngdoh shared his plans to visit New Delhi to brief the central government on the gravity of the situation.
“That is a major challenge. I will be visiting the national capital briefly to ensure that the leaders in the Government of India are well briefed about the seriousness and the scale of drug trafficking that is happening in the state,” he added.
As part of the government’s efforts, FG Kharshiing, a retired IPS officer and former Commandant of the 6th Battalion MLP, Umran Camp-Shillong, has been appointed as the Mission Director of the Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission (DREAM).
“Dream Mission now we will have FG Kharshiing, Retd IPS, appointed as Mission Director , we are making significant moves to first reduce and then eradicate the problem of drug menace,” Lyngdoh stated.
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) is also being strengthened, with efforts to establish Village Defense Parties (VDPs) in vulnerable areas. “A lot of things are happening, which may not be visible to your naked eyes. Many Durbar Shnongs are in the process of constituting VDPs. In Shillong city proper, there are just 11 legally constituted VDPs, and most of the high-risk zones do not have these VDPs,” he said.
Lyngdoh further explained that the absence of VDPs leaves communities without legal backup, leading to frustration when local leaders are dragged into legal cases. “Once we have the VDPs in place, it will provide a legal framework that works in tandem with the police department,” he concluded.