AP Home Minister Anita Vangalapudi advised the police to ensure security among people, but not create fear among them. She conducted a review with the SPs of all districts from Visakhapatnam police commissionerate on Tuesday.
Later she told the media that she conducted a review on prevention of ganja and police welfare. She particularly stressed on the need to focus on ganja prevention in five districts of Northern Andhra. She suggested regulating ganja cultivation in the agency area with CC cameras.
She said that a ministerial sub-committee has been appointed on the prevention of ganja in the state. While the Home Minister heads the committee, other members are ministers of Education, Tribal Welfare and Excise.
Minister Anita announced that they will be rewarded if they provide the details of ganja. A special drive will be organized in all districts. She said that the POCSO Act is being implemented in the case of minors.
She said that in Visakhapatnam, areas suitable for ganja consumption have been identified and police patrolled them. They want to provide necessary facilities to the police departments. She said that there is no equipment to test and diagnose a person who has consumed drugs.
She alleged that the police system has been weakened in the last five years with the absence of maintenance of advanced equipment vehicles. Anita said that the police system will be strengthened.
She made it clear that the alliance government is committed to control the crime rate. “We are working more strongly on women’s safety. It will take some time to get back into the groove. We are considering providing a week-off to police”, she added.
The Home Minister deplored the previous government denied the facility of surrender leave to Police and she promised to restore the same. She expressed concern that AP is the only state without a Police Academy.