The demolition of properties allegedly linked to drug peddlers has triggered a larger public debate: can bulldozers truly eliminate the growing drug crisis? The answer is complicated.
On one hand, strict action against organized narcotics networks sends a strong message. When authorities attach or demolish illegally acquired assets allegedly built through drug money, it creates fear among traffickers and weakens the financial backbone of the narcotics trade. Visible action also reassures society that the state is not passive in the face of a crisis consuming thousands of young lives.
However, demolitions alone cannot solve the problem.
Drug addiction is not merely a law-and-order issue; it is also a public health, psychological and social crisis. If one peddler disappears, another often emerges to fill the vacuum because the demand remains intact. The real battle therefore lies not only in punishment, but in prevention and rehabilitation.
Kashmir urgently needs a comprehensive anti-drug policy involving police, health departments, schools, religious institutions, families and civil society. Rehabilitation centers must be expanded and made affordable. Schools and colleges need sustained awareness programs instead of symbolic campaigns. Parents require counseling support to identify early signs of addiction. Border surveillance and financial tracking of organized networks must become stronger.
Equally important is employment and youth engagement. Idle and frustrated youth become vulnerable to addiction and exploitation by narcotics networks. Sports, education, mental health services and job opportunities are long-term weapons against this menace.
Strong policing is necessary, but society cannot bulldoze its way out of addiction. The fight against drugs will only succeed when enforcement is combined with rehabilitation, awareness and social healing.
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