Capt Amarinder questions govt figures’ authenticity on drug addicts submitted to HC

CHANDIGARH:Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh today questioned the authenticity of the figures related to drug addicts in Punjab submitted to the government to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in an affidavit recently. “The government affidavit does not seem to reflect the reality, both in medical terms as well as the figures it has submitted to the honourable court”, he observed.
In a statement, Capt Amarinder disclosed that there were gross contradictions in what the government had submitted to the High Court recently and what it had disclosed in response to an RTI query on the issue around the same time.
The former Chief Minister said, while the state Chief Secretary submitted in the High Court that the total number of drug addicts identified in the state was about 3 lakhs, around the same time, the state government in response to an RTI inquiry had claimed the figure to be over 6 lakhs.
“I appeal the Honourable High Court to verify the Punjab government’s figures as it seems that they (the government) were trying to mislead the court”, he said, while referring to the contradictions in the government figures.
Capt Amarinder also questioned the government claims on medical grounds about providing treatment to the drug addicts, which, he said, defied medical practices and procedures. He said, the government’s claims on providing treatment to the drug addicts were suspect and doubtful.
“Normally the addicts are to be admitted and kept indoors for varying periods running into months together”, he pointed out, while adding, drug addiction is too serious a problem to be treated in an OPD. As out of 3 lakh addicts identified, from government’s own admission in the HC, only 12000 have been admitted in the rehabilitation centres, which is just an eyewash.
He urged the HC to ask the government as how many drug rehabilitation centres it had opened and what medical facilities were being provided therein. He said, according to his information there were only 20 psychiatrists in whole of Punjab which was far too less as compared to the number of addicts in the state.
Besides, the former Chief Minister added, the rehabilitation and de-addiction centres have to be separate from the normal hospitals. “You just cannot designate a few rooms in the hospital as rehabilitation centres, which this government has done”, he said, while adding, “de-addiction is a long and rehabilitating process and not merely a treatment”.
Capt Amarinder appealed to the HC to ensure that the case was taken to its logical conclusion and the government was not allowed to wriggle out of situation by providing false and misleading information.