Arunachal: Record Drug Cases Raise Concern in Papum Pare
A district-level NCORD meeting in Yupia stressed coordinated community action, regular inspections, and awareness programmes to curb the growing drug menace.
YUPIA — A district-level meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) was held at the DC Conference Hall in Yupia on January 9, 2026, to review ongoing efforts and strengthen coordinated action against drug abuse in Papum Pare district. The meeting was chaired by Assistant Commissioner Smti Dani Rikang.
During the meeting, participants discussed in detail the directives issued during the previous NCORD meeting held on December 23, 2025. Key focus areas included regular visits and supervision of rehabilitation centres, the conduct of intensive awareness programmes, and ensuring monthly inspections of shops and roadside gumtis located near school premises.
Addressing the meeting, Assistant Commissioner Dani Rikang emphasised the need for coordinated inter-sectoral and multi-sectoral efforts to achieve effective outcomes in curbing the drug menace. She called upon all concerned departments and stakeholders to extend their cooperation in what she described as a collective fight against substance abuse.
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Deputy Superintendent of Police Phassang G. Simi highlighted the importance of community policing and public participation in addressing drug-related challenges. He stressed the role of parents in preventing substance abuse, urging them to remain vigilant and proactively monitor their children’s activities.
Providing a law enforcement perspective, Inspector Michi Yania informed the meeting that 17 drug-related cases were registered in Papum Pare district in 2025, the highest number recorded since the district’s formation in 1992. She added that 26 individuals were arrested during the year and expressed hope that enforcement efforts would continue with similar intensity in 2026.
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Concerns were also raised by a representative of the New Hope Rehabilitation Centre, who stated that nearly 90% of admitted drug users were either Hepatitis C or HIV positive. He pointed to the lack of testing kits and adequate medical facilities at the centre, noting that frequent movement of inmates outside the facility for medical care increases the risk of absconding. The representative urged the district administration and NCORD committee to escalate the matter to higher authorities for intervention.
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Among the decisions taken, the meeting resolved to conduct regular monthly inspections of shops and gumtis, to be jointly carried out by the TDO, Yupia, and the Superintendent of Excise. The district administration is expected to issue necessary directives to ensure effective implementation. The meeting also decided to intensify awareness activities, particularly in schools and colleges, to prevent substance abuse among youths.
Officials present at the meeting included Smt. Jaya Taba, Deputy Director, ICDS; CDPOs from Doimukh, Balijan and Kimin; and representatives from the education department and the Tax and Excise department.
