(a) whether the Government is aware that poor and orphan children are being used for smuggling of narcotics;
(b) if so, the details of such cases reported during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
(c) whether children used for smuggling of narcotics are also addicted to these drugs; and
(d) if so, the steps being taken by the Government to protect these children from becoming addicts and being used for smuggling of narcotics?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN)
(a) : No seizure cases have been reported to the Narcotics Control Bureau regarding poor and orphan children being used for smuggling of narcotics.
(b) & (c) : Do not arise.
(d) : Legal provisions in the NDPS Act, 1985 provides for:-
(i) Imposing higher than the minimum punishment and fine if minors are affected by the offence or the minors are used for the commission of an offence by the drug traffickers.
(ii) The Act also provides for imposing higher than the minimum punishment and fine if offence is committed in an educational institution or social service facility or in their immediate vicinity of such institution or faculty or in other place to which school children and students resort for educational, sports and social activities.
(iii) Apart from the legal provisions stated above, National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Para 55 (a) directs local police to pay special attention to areas surrounding schools and colleges in their efforts to tackle drug peddlers engaged in sale of drugs to school and college children.