Close to wiping out drug menace in Punjab: Cheema

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday claimed that the drug menace was on the verge of elimination in the state and urged those still hooked on drugs to rebuild their lives.

The minister’s remarks have come days after Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav set the May 31 deadline to arrest all drug traffickers in the state.

Addressing a gathering here, the minister called upon village defence committees to keep an eye on drug peddling and help addicts find way to treatment. He also accused previous regimes of failing to control the menace, adding that their rule was marked by dynastic politics.

He said under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the “river of drug addiction has come to the verge of drying up”.

Congratulating people on the “success of the anti-drug campaign”, he said every household contributed to it.

Cheema also called upon people to motivate addicts to rebuild their lives. He said for proper rehabilitation of addicts, people could contact the district administration and the police to make necessary arrangements.

‘Nasha Mukti Yatras’ across state from May 7

Mohali: Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Saturday said the state government would launch “Nasha Mukti Yatras” across the state from May 7 to make the campaign against the drug menace a mass movement.

Chairing a district-level meeting of panchayats and ward defence committees here, he said people’s cooperation would be solicited through the initiative.

The minister said his government had adopted a two-pronged strategy — tightening the noose around drug peddlers and rehabilitating addicts by imparting skills and providing monetary help to make them self-reliant.

The minister said while police personnel were seizing huge quantities of contrabands across the state, the Health Department focused on improving the bed capacity at de-addiction centres.

“The state has increased the bed capacity almost three times. Now, we have 5,000 beds for treatment of addicts. In collaboration with NGOs, skill training centres have also been introduced at rehabilitation centres,” he said.

Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang urged people to inform police if they spot somebody selling drugs.  TNS

Punjab