NHRC seeks info on de-addiction centres

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to chief secretaries of all the States and Union Territories (UTs) and the Secretary, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment seeking a report on the de-addiction centres.

The NHRC wanted to know how many de-addiction centres are presently available with the Government Sector, can private entities be allowed to set up de-addiction centres, are there any rules or regulations framed under the NDPS Act to regulate the de-addiction centres as mandated in Section 71 of NDPS Act.

It also asked as to what is the mechanism for providing training to the persons employed in such de-addiction centres; and to specify the mechanisms to regulate private de-addiction centres including charges/fees, employment of staff, counsellor, medical staff, food supplied and overall upkeep of such rehabilitation centres.

This came after the NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report of yet another death of an inmate at a private drug de-addiction centre, which is the third such incident in the recent past.

Reportedly, a 24-year-old man was beaten to death by the people running a De-addiction Centre in Chandramani area of Dehradoon, Uttarakhand on 10th April, 2023.

Prior to this, the Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of two similar incidents at De-addiction Centres in NOIDA and Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and the reports have been sought.

The Commission has observed that all three rehabilitation centres, two in UP and one in Uttarakhand were being run by private entities. It needs serious consideration as to whether the De-addiction Centres can be allowed to be operated by private entities, and if it is so, whether State(s) have ensured sufficient safety measures in place to protect the interest of the inmates with a view to achieving the desired goal.

Notices have also been issued to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttarakhand calling for a detailed report in the instant case of the death of an inmate at Dehradoon Rehab Centre.

The reports should include the present status of the investigation of the case and compensation and relief, if any, provided to the Next of kin of the deceased.

According to the media report, carried on 13th April, 2023, the patients of the Dehradoon De-addiction Centre, have said that their beatings were frequent and routine, as were hunger and lack of hygiene. No doctor or counsellor ever visited the centre.

Stories of a Shillong boy Part 1: Hill Boy and the Desert

There is a little 10 year old boy in Shillong who has a funny way of looking at things. I call him “Ray” – A named derived from his Khasi first name. I am his mother and this is one of the many stories I have about him.

Now Ray had an intense hate for two subjects in school – science and geography. I’m still drawing nonsensical circles around science, but I think I’ve cracked geography and a geography lesson is one of the most fun things we do together now. I want to talk about a lesson we did a little while ago.

In this lesson, we read about the Thar Desert. The book said something really scary to Ray. It told him that the desert is expanding because we cut down forests and let our cattle eat away all our grasslands. This really worried him. Before we could go on with the lesson, he said, “But I don’t want the desert to reach the Meghalaya.”

I looked at him and said, “It won’t.”

“But the book says that it will.” He insists. “I don’t want to live in a desert.”

I had to think for a bit. See Ray has this way of getting fixated on something and then he dwells on it – a reason why I tutor him myself by redoing every chapter that his teachers have taught in school. His head is full of questions that he would never ask in a classroom kind of space, but he would demand an answer out of me.

“It will not happen tomorrow Ray.” I said, “We’ll all be dead and gone by then. There is no need to stress.”

This did not put him at ease at all. He was worried. “I don’t want to live in India anymore if the desert is growing mei. We have to leave India.”

“There are deserts everywhere.” I said.

“This can happen all over the world?” he asked sounding completely helpless.

“Yes.” I said thinking of Mad Max Fury Road. “But it won’t happen anytime soon. It will probably happen during the time of your great great great great grandchild so you have nothing to worry about.”

This calmed him down for a little while and I was able to finish the lesson. He had his dinner after that, brushed his teeth and got into bed.

As I was tucking him in he said softly, “But I want my great great great great grand son or daughter to live also.”

And it suddenly struck me that even I want my great great great great great grandchild to live.

(This piece has been written by Dalariti Nongpiur with illustrations by Hazel Kharkongor)