Lucknow, March 24 -- Chief secretary SP Goyal on Monday directed all departments to act in close coordination and with urgency to curb drug abuse and trafficking, stressing strict legal action against those involved in consumption and illegal trade of narcotics. Chairing a meeting of the state-level committee of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD), Goyal said every district must hold at least two NCORD meetings every month and warned that districts falling short of this target should be issued strict instructions. He emphasised that action must be intensified against identified hotspots, especially around schools, colleges, hostels and other sensitive locations, to protect the youth from the growing threat of substance abuse. Authorities were also asked to keep a close watch on areas that could potentially emerge as future hotspots. The meeting reviewed enforcement and monitoring under the NDPS Act, including arrests under PIT NDPS provisions, property attachment under SAFEMA, and verification of licenced opium cultivation through joint teams of police, revenue and agriculture departments. Progress of de-addiction centres run by the social welfare department and NGOs, as well as awareness drives under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, was also assessed. Goyal directed a review of licensed bhang shops and asked officials to rationalise their number based on local requirements. He also called for shifting to an online monitoring system for supply and sale of codeine-based cough syrups, along with mandatory physical verification of stock points to curb misuse. Strict action was ordered against fake firms, illegal storage and unauthorised sales. Providing enforcement data, IG, ANTF Abdul Hamid said 846 district-level NCORD meetings were held in 2025 and 144 meetings conducted till February 2026. Since the formation of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in 2022, a total of 2.71 lakh kg of seized narcotics worth about Rs.925 crore has been disposed of till February 2026....