A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed before the Gujarat High Court today has demanded a directive to the state government to curb the menace of a narcotic called Mephedrone popularly known as "meow-meow".
The PIL, filed by Congress MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh from Dariyapur assembly seat, has alleged that the drug is being openly sold to youth near schools and colleges.
"Mephedrone's narcotic effects are ten times more intense than heroin. It is being sold openly near schools and colleges to youth in all major cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot," the PIL said.
According to the petition, Mephedrone, which is used as a popular party drug, is imported from Mumbai and Goa after which the narcotics mafia sells it to the youth for around Rs 150 to 500 per gram.
"The petitioner wrote a letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and demanded action to be taken but he did not get any response," the PIL said.
Though Mephedrone was included under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) in the first week of February this year by Gujarat government, the police did not take efective measures to curb peddling, the PIL said.
The PIL is likely to come up for hearing before a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice V M Sahai and Justice R P Dholaria next week.
