Shimla, Oct 30 (IANS): The opposition Congress in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday promised to set up an anti-drug abuse enforcement authority to fight illicit drugs trade if the party is voted to power in the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled on November 12.

AICC Joint Secretary Gokul Butail told the media here that it would be a first-of-its-kind independent authority in which even Chief Minister, ministers or even the DGP will not be able to interfere.

"Himachal Pradesh is second after Punjab in terms of drugs trade. The anti-drug abuse enforcement authority will be headed by a sitting judge of the high court or the Lokayukta, with a fixed term of two years," Butail said.

He also said that drug abuse cases have increased during the tenure of the Jai Ram Thakur-led government.

Chief Minister Thakur did not take any concrete steps to deal with the drug menace in the state, Butail alleged.

With elections approaching, the state government had notified a policy to tackle the drug menace in February this year, though it has not been implemented yet.