DW BUREAU / Chandigarh/ PatialA

In a resolute bid to combat the scourge of drug abuse, Punjab Cabinet Minister and the State President of Aam Aadmi Party Mr. Aman Arora, on Monday, appealed to the grassroots pillars of governance - Councillors, Sarpanchs, and Nambardars - to adopt a zero-tolerance stance against drug peddlers, regardless of their social connections or affiliations. Emphasising the critical role these local leaders play in shaping their communities, he asked the Sarpanchs, Councillors and Nambardars to refrain from extending any help to drug peddlers pushing our youth to drug swamp.

He was addressing the media after chairing a meeting with Patiala district's civil and police administration in the presence of local leadership to review the current status of "Yudh Nashian Virudh" drive. He was on the whirlwind tour of three districts today including Patiala, Kapurthala and Amritsar.

Declaring that "Yudh Nashian Virudh" has become a people's drive, Mr. Aman Arora said that a number of drug peddlers have been put behind the bars and huge quantities of narcotics have been recovered in the past 16 days with the active participation of people of the state.

The Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has adopted two-pronged strategy to give final blow to this menace, Mr. Aman Arora said, while stating that strict action has been taken not only to cut the supply line but a special focus has been laid on rehabilitating the drug victims. He said that special skill development training is being imparted to bring them back into the mainstream of society, besides, becoming an earning hand for their families.

Reaffirming the commitment of the Punjab government to completely eradicating drugs from the state, Mr. Aman Arora said that no one is being spared irrespective of his rank or political affiliation.

Taking SAD-BJP and Congress to task, the AAP's state president said that the polito-narcos nexus that came to fore during past regimes in the state has caused an unforgettable loss to Punjab especially its youth. "The relentless efforts are being made by the Aam Aadmi Party led state government during the last three years to root-up this nexus, and this last stroke will ensure that the dark era will come to an end," he emphasized.

Deputy Commissioner Patiala Dr. Preeti Yadav apprised the cabinet minister that OOAT clinics saw a 25 percent increase in foot-fall after the launch of "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign. She informed that the district authorities have been regularly conducting inspections at Drug De-addiction Centres and OOAT Clinics.

(editor@dailyworld.in)