Says goodbye to burning of seized drugs in the open Vishal Joshi The Haryana police is all set to become a "green force'. Following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the police has finally said goodbye to the highly objectionable practice of uncontrolled burning of seized narcotic drugs. The state police headquarters had directed the IGPs of all police ranges and district police heads to immediately discontinue the practice of unscientific burning of drugs. Confirming this, Rohtak range IGP Anil Dawar said efforts were on to identify incinerators at government hospitals or those owned by private entrepreneurs for environment-friendly disposal of drugs. The high court had directed the state police for "scientific incineration' of the seizure under the NDPS Act. Also, the department had been directed to certify that the disposal practice did not cause any pollution and harm to human beings, animals and trees. Each year, tonnes of seized drugs are burnt by the police. Enormous amounts of firewood and petroleum products are required for the unscientific disposal of these. In the absence of any guidelines, the state agency was continuing with the controversial practice. Last year on May 12, The Tribune had first highlighted the environmentally hazardous style of burning of drugs in the open. Taking suo motu notice of the story, the Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) directed the state to adopt scientific methods. The state was asked to go in for scientific incineration. The court has also directed that the drugs be forwarded to the officer in charge of the nearest police station or to the officer empowered under Section 53 of the NDPS Act and that these be disposed of within seven days. The narcotics will be destroyed by incineration at a place where adequate facilities and security arrangements are provided. Before the destruction of the case property, the disposal committee will be required to get a certificate from the supervisory officer. Committees have been instructed to submit a weekly report to the state police headquarters after disposing of the drugs, it is learnt.