Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked a committee comprising officers from UT Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana to finalise a three-phase treatment protocol for prisoners with opioid dependence, following an affidavit filed by the head of the department of psychiatry, PGIMER, Chandigarh, detailing measures needed to make the protocol fully implementable.A division bench of Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor said the protocol had been perused along with the minutes of the meeting, and the issue had been deliberated upon with the assistance of the amicus curiae and counsel for the states.“It is agreed between the parties that the committee shall meet again and the broad features of the protocol shall be given final shape with specific details, such that the protocol is capable of being implemented in its entirety,” the bench observed.“It shall be open for the HoD, psychiatry, PGIMER, to indicate the budgetary allocation required from a particular state or other measures which are expected of them. The respective states would be apprised of it, and their cooperation would be solicited,” the HC said.Emphasising the need for prompt assistance from the authorities, the bench observed: “We hope and trust that all requisite assistance, as indicated by the experts, would be promptly provided and, in case there is any shortcoming, the court shall be informed.”The high court also stressed that the matter concerned a larger public interest and should not be treated as adversarial litigation.“We have already indicated that the cause raised in the matter is of serious concern, and the directions issued are in the larger public interest. Therefore, the authorities of the states and UT are not to treat it as adversarial litigation,” the bench observed.Listing the matter for hearing on Dec 15, 2026, the HC directed that a further affidavit be filed, detailing the measures proposed to address the concern raised. It also directed that the arrangement for interaction among the parties, as specified earlier, would continue.The proceedings arise from a suo motu public interest litigation initiated by the HC to address drug dependence among jail inmates.On Sept 22, the HC had requested Dr Subho Chakrabarti, professor and head of the department of psychiatry, PGIMER, to assist in evolving a holistic solution to tackle drug dependence among jail inmates, both during and after incarceration. He had agreed to hold special consultative sessions with authorities and officers of the Chandigarh administration, Punjab and Haryana on Sept 25 and Oct 9.
