Aizawl, Aug 22 (IANS) Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma said on Friday that drug abuse remains the biggest threat to the state, which shares 510 km and 318 km unfenced border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, respectively.

Addressing the 15th Conference of the Mizoram Police Service Association (MPSA), the Chief Minister stressed that drug abuse remains the biggest threat to the state, being one major cause of HIV spread. Calling for collective efforts to fight the menaces of both drug abuse, smuggling of narcotics and spread of HIV/AIDS, Lalduhoma said that it is a struggle for both physical and spiritual well-being of all people.

The Chief Minister earlier said that the state lies within close proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’, a region notorious for drug trafficking.

Flagging off the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Drug Free India Campaign) in Aizawl earlier this week, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said that this geographical location has led to the frequent inflow of drugs into the state.

Noting that drugs bring no benefit to society and must be eradicated completely, Lalduhoma, a former IPS officer, also urged communities to be vigilant and united in their stand against drug abuse, ensuring that Mizo society remains protected from such harmful influences. The Chief Minister encouraged young people to abstain entirely from drugs, warning that even occasional use is the first step towards addiction.

He further called on those already trapped in addiction to courageously step away and rebuild their lives.

The Mizoram government has started the recruitment process to form a Mizo Territorial Army (MTA) battalion to deal with drug trafficking and other law and order-related issues.

A Mizoram Home Department official said that 70 male candidates would be recruited for the first batch, and subsequently, recruitment of other batches would be done. Successful candidates would undergo nine months of rigorous training at the Assam Regimental Centre in Shillong, after which they would be posted in different parts of Mizoram, especially in bordering areas.

According to the official, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has supported the Mizoram government’s proposal to establish the MTA battalion to deal with drug trafficking, smuggling activities and other law and order-related issues.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma, during his visit to New Delhi earlier, discussed the formation of the MTA and several issues with Home Minister Amit Shah.

“The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Home Minister for supporting his proposal to establish the MTA battalion, describing it as a crucial initiative to employ Mizo youths while contributing to national security,” the official said. He said that for quite a long time, the state government has been requesting the Centre to help the state to raise the MTA to deal with the smuggling of drugs and other contrabands being illegally imported from Myanmar.

“The state government has manpower shortages to deal with the narcotics trafficking from across the border. The state government earlier submitted proposals to the Ministry of Home Affairs about the raising of the MTA,” he said.

Various drugs and different types of contraband, including exotic animals, are often illegally traded through six districts in Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip — which share unfenced borders of 510 km with Myanmar.

–IANS

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