Illegal drug rehabilitation centre in Tarn Taran sealed

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab health department sealed a private drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centre at Asal Uttar village of Tarn Taran district on Saturday, after TOI highlighted that it was being run without mandatory licence, infrastructure and staff.


In its report — Without drugs, why would we be at de-addiction centres? — on May 18, 2019, TOI had reported how the ‘Changing Drug Counselling and Rehabilitation Society’ was being illegally run by a reformed drug addict Ranjit Singh from the ground floor of the now shut ‘SAS English Medium School’ for girls.

Dr Sukhwinder Kaur, the programme officer of Punjab government’s mental health cell, told TOI that the Tarn Taran civil surgeon got the rehabilitation centre checked and sealed on Saturday. “As many as 17 patients have been found at the centre. They have been referred to the government rehabilitation centres at Bhagupur and Tharu in Tarn Taran district for admission,” she added. The Tarn Taran civil surgeon’s staff is now contacting the families of these 17 inmates to ask if they want to take their kin home or get them treated at government centres.

Dr Kaur said the health department will get a detailed report from the Tarn Taran civil surgeon on Monday. “In such cases of illegal de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, we get an FIR registered. The minimum punishment under Section 26 of the NDPS Act, 1985, is fine and imprisonment of six months (maximum three years),” she added.

It is the responsibility of civil surgeons in various districts to keep a check on such illegal de-addiction and rehabilitation centres. The Punjab Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Counseling and Rehabilitation Centres Rules, 2011, makes it mandatory for a substance use disorder counseling and rehabilitation centre to have one project director, three social workers/counselors with basic qualification of MPhil or MA in psychology or sociology or social work. Rules also mandate that such facilities have three ward attendants with basic qualification of 10+2 with an orientation to handle substance dependents, three security guards/chowkidars, two sweepers and a cook.

When TOI team visited this centre opposite to the Asal Uttar bus stop on Thursday, it found it lacking of most of these requirements, besides lack of well-ventilated rooms.

According to Dr Kaur, the health department takes action against such centres as and when it gets any inputs. “Recently, we took action against one of the de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in Sangrur for violation of human rights,” she added.