The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has directed social welfare department director to visit de-addiction centres of the state once in three months, with a statement that department authority are not properly discharging their duties at some de-addiction centre.
MHRC also recommended DGP, Manipur to direct all the SPs and OCs for regular check-up/enquiry of the private de-addiction/rehabilitation centres within the jurisdiction of the respective Police Station to see that no person is either illegally detained or any other illegal activities are prevailing there and also submit the report once in two months to the director, Social Welfare Department, government of Manipur as well as the other appropriate authority.
According to MHRC judicial notice, minor children and youth of Manipur are suffering from addiction and some of the de-addiction/rehabilitation centres are taking the benefit. When the commission visited some de-addiction centres, they found that some innocent children and youth were taken either from their workplace or from the streets through the agent of the de-addiction centre which is very unfortunate.
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A case had been filed by a citizen for direction to the director, Social Welfare Department, government of Manipur to formulate specific guidelines to be followed by private Rehab Centre as envisaged in the Manipur State Policy on Psychoactive Substance 2019 to ensure human rights and justice for drug survivors. The case also called for directing the Director General of Police, Manipur to instruct all the district police of Manipur to prevent human rights violation.
The commission had issued notices to director, Social Welfare Department, government of Manipur who submitted the status report from which it appears that the Department of Social Welfare has constituted Committee with the director, Social Welfare, government of Manipur as Chairperson for recommending the registration of non-funded de-addiction/rehabilitation centres operating in the Manipur under the department.
The report from social welfare director also stated that “all unregistered de-addiction/rehabilitation centres to cease functioning after three months from the date of issue of the notification dated November 21, 2023 and such unregistered private de-addiction /rehabilitation centres are directed to stop taking new admission from the date of the notification to avoid further complication”.
MHRC also noted that a guideline for considering the Treatment and Rehabilitation of user for Social Transformation (TRUST) Centre that the Social Welfare Department, government of Manipur has already framed specific guidelines on how and what manner the private de-addiction/rehabilitation centre has to be run in the state of Manipur.
The commission stated that the guideline and policy formulated by the government for considering the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Users for Social Transformation (TRUST) Centre in
Manipur is not enough unless there is proper check up and follow up by the authority to whom the government has entrusted to work/liability.
“As according to us, taking drugs by children/persons is not their choice but a disease which damages the various physical and mental organs of the body and seriously affects the health of a persons”, stated the MHRC.
Right to life includes the right to health. Thus, the state has an obligation to ensure the creation and sustaining of the condition considering all good health as a part of maintenance and improvement of public health and to save the future generation of the state as well as the country, it added.
Further, the commission stated that they hope and trust that both the Police department and the Social Welfare Department, government of Manipur will discharge their duties to save the
children/youth from the de-addiction centre and the unauthorised functioning of the private de-addiction/rehabilitation centre.
