East Siang Officials Launch Crackdown on Illegal Rehab Centers

Itanagar: East Siang district officials are escalating their fight against drug abuse and illegal liquor sales. Deputy Commissioner Sonalika Jiwani chaired the 24th District-Level Narco Coordination Centre meeting to demand tougher enforcement. Officials will now conduct surprise drug tests in schools, police stations, and government offices. Testing is already underway in rural areas where health workers distributed 950 kits across 13 centers.

Authorities are cracking down on illicit rehabilitation facilities. Officials targeted Beta Life Care at 5 Mile, Living Clean Adam at Ruksin, and William Home Foundation at Rayang for operating without valid licenses or following safety guidelines. Inspectors also discovered that Vision of Hope near VKV Joram was running secretly despite being closed previously. Jiwani ordered immediate legal action against all non-compliant centers.

Enforcement teams are also squeezing the local liquor trade. The Tax and Excise Department issued six show-cause notices recently, seizing 201 beer cans, 24 Breezers, and five bottles of foreign liquor. Police recently arrested four people in a single case involving heroin under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Officers will now ramp up night patrols at bars, clubs, and DJ venues.

Recovery remains a priority. Twelve people are currently in treatment at four local centers, and eight have finished their programs. Nineteen people are seeking job training in fields like data entry and mushroom farming. Jiwani said the district’s NCORD mechanism was moving in the right direction. Stakeholders will now meet with the Industries Department to bridge the gap between recovery and steady employment.