SHILLONG, MAR 5: Adviser to the Social Welfare Department Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday said the government will formally launch a new Village Defense Party (VDP) in Nongsohphoh Upper Mawprem next week as part of the Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) initiative to involve local communities in combating drug abuse.
Speaking to reporters in Shillong, Lyngdoh said the decision was taken following a meeting with officials of the ANTF and the local dorbar shnong.
“This evening itself, I had an interaction with the SP ANTF and we have already gone ahead and decided with the dorbar shnong of a major hotspot in the city, which is the dorbar shnong of Nongsohphoh Upper Mawprem, to formally launch the VDP of that area on March 13,” he said.
According to Lyngdoh, the new unit will be the second VDP in Shillong, while the state currently has only 12 Village Defense Parties in operation.
“We are trying to encourage more dorbar shnongs to come forward to partner with the department so we have foot soldiers against the menace working in tandem with the state police,” he added.
The adviser described the government’s strategy as a “multipronged approach” to tackle drug trafficking and abuse, noting that operational details are often not disclosed publicly due to the sensitive nature of narcotics investigations. However, he pointed out that the recent increase in raids and enforcement actions demonstrates the government’s seriousness in addressing the problem.
“We have stepped into new territories which have not been covered earlier. You will appreciate that the government is absolutely serious to tackle the drug menace,” Lyngdoh said.
Responding to reports that a former MLA from Manipur was allegedly involved in trafficking drugs into Meghalaya, Lyngdoh said he had seen the reports but would discuss the matter in detail with the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of the Home (Police) Department, who is currently away from the city.