Dharamsala, Dec 21 : Favouring amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to effectively crackdown the drug mafia, the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution and expressed concern over the rise of drug abuse, especially among the youth, relating to 'chitta', a synthetic drug. The House here adopted a resolution moved during the private member's day by two members -- Sukhram Chaudhary and Kuldeep Rathore -- on the rise of drug trafficking. Replying to the debate that saw participation of 18 out of 68 members, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, on behalf of the Chief Minister, favoured to make the NDPS Act more stringent by terming the offence of drug trafficking as heinous as murder, granting more powers to the states for confiscating the property of traffickers and opening of a zonal office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the hill state. Admitting that the youth are falling prey to drugs, he said the state would strengthen its anti-narcotics task force by deploying 500 more people. The volume of clandestine trade can be gauged from Agnihotri's submission that this year 14 kg 'chitta' was seized in the state. He said 1,757 people have been arrested for trafficking. Five people have lost their lives this year. 'Chitta' (a white powder drug) is an extract of opium laced with synthetic drugs. It is cheaper than heroin. Police officials told IANS that 'chitta' is the new lifestyle chemical drug craze, especially among the youth, in the state, where the inaccessible valleys and lofty mountains have been infamous for illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium for centuries. The Deputy Chief Minister said the number of deaths owing to "chitta" abuse could be higher than five deaths reported as families in many cases preferred to declare such incidents as natural death. He said the drug-related cases have not been rampant in the state borders only but also in far-flung and interior areas of the state. "From the confiscation of 14 kg of 'chitta' one can estimate how voluminous quantities of the drug have been consumed in the state," Agnihotri said. He also asked the members of the House to rise above politics and pledge not to protect the drug smugglers and dealers to save the youth from falling prey to drugs. Earlier, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, who holds a Home portfolio, informed the assembly that nearly 14 kg heroin was seized this year. In a written reply, he said to make the state drug free, the government has zero tolerance against drugs. Advocating for granting more powers to states to effectively combat the drug mafia, the Chief Minister said it has been recommended to the Central government that institutional framework for empowerment of agencies involved in curbing the drug trafficking and to strengthen the NDPS Act to ensure strict legal action against drug smugglers and dealers. The government written reply during Question Hour said this year 34 kg opium, 304 kg charas, besides 12 grams LSD, a synthetic chemical based-drug, 58 grams ketamine and 133 grams smack, among other drugs, were seized. Police officials told IANS that quick bucks are also attracting foreigners, largely Israelis, Italians, British, French and Russians to this clandestine trade. According to the police, cannabis and opium are grown illegally in vast tracts of Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Chamba districts, causing a serious problem of drug cultivation, trafficking and addiction. More than 20 foreigners have reportedly gone missing in as many years from the picturesque valleys in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu, known for growing world-class cannabis. Their illegal settlement in inaccessible hamlets and the changing trends in drug trafficking and addiction amongst the youth is a stark reminder of the deepening nexus between local peddlers and the international drug mafia with the tacit support of some powerful people, including politicians. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at gulatiians@gmail.com) /IANS