Govt starts work on rehab centre rules
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 08 2020: The State Government has initiated due process to enact specific minimum standard rules or guidelines which would be applied to all private de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in the State.

Sources informed that the Social Welfare Department would soon issue a notification for registration of all private de-addiction and rehabilitation centres apart from inviting feedback within 15 days after specific minimum standard rules or guidelines are drafted in consultation with stakeholders.

Notably, CoNE president RK Nalinikanta and USER Manipur president Maibam Jogesh filed a petition at High Court towards enactment of specific minimum standard rules or guidelines which would be applicable to all private de-addiction and rehabilitation centres.

Acting on the PIL, the High Court passed an order on July 23 this year which directed the Social Welfare Principal Secretary and the Director to enact specific minimum standard rules or guidelines for private de-addiction and rehabilitation centres within three months.

As per the High Court's order, the rules or guidelines should be enacted and enforced by October 27, said the sources.

Meanwhile, Social Welfare Deputy Director (CP) Konsam Saroja said that the department would comply with the High Court order.

She said that due process was underway to get private drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres registered with Social Welfare Department.

The PIL filed by CoNE and USER Manipur pointed out that there are around 54 drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres and they are being run in arbitrary manner in the absence of common rules or guidelines.

There have been cases of exploitation, oppression and even death of drug users in some of these rehabilitation centres.

Some of these centres do not have adequate strength of staff and medical professionals, according to the sources.

On the other hand, 21 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres (IRCs) have been operating in the State under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment's Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse and Social Defence Service.

But these IRCs alone cannot take care of or rehabilitate all the drug users of the State.

As such, the private rehabilitation centres are badly needed in the State, said the sources.

According to a survey carried out by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2019, there were 34,355 injecting drug users in Manipur.

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