DW BUREAU / Ludhiana

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the drug menace in the state and emphasised that the battle against drugs is not just the responsibility of the police but a collective fight requiring a mass movement.

He lauded the participation of the state's youth in the campaign and appreciated panchayats across villages for proactively passing resolutions to make their villages drug-free.

Mann was speaking at an event where several NCC, NSS and school students took an oath to stay away from drugs.

The chief minister talked about Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's governance model, claiming that it was "transformational". He also claimed that former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia "revolutionised" the national capital's education system while former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain "pioneered" the Mohalla Clinic concept.

He said the fight against drugs has to be a people's movement.

"Every day, village panchayats are passing resolutions, committing to keep their villages drug-free. If any drug trafficker enters, the villagers are pledging to report them to the police," he said.

He urged the people of Punjab to support this mission by sharing any drug-related information on the dedicated WhatsApp helpline number 9779100200, assuring that the identity of informants will remain confidential.

Reiterating the government's resolve, Mann asserted that his administration will not allow drug traffickers to flourish.

He warned those who amassed wealth by destroying families through drugs, stating that their illegally acquired properties would face "bulldozer action".

"Every day, bulldozers are running over the mansions built with drug money. Just yesterday, bulldozers were demolishing properties in Muktsar," he added.

He cautioned that the drug problem could affect any family, urging collective responsibility to eliminate the menace before it spreads further.

Mann acknowledged that merely cracking down on drug supply chains is not enough. A comprehensive plan is needed to rehabilitate addicted youth. He said his government came up with a holistic plan and prepared in advance.

"We know when supply chains are disrupted, those already addicted will suffer. So we have well-equipped rehabilitation centres, adequate medical facilities, education opportunities and employment options to prevent them from falling back into addiction," he informed.

He assured that his government is working on a structured plan to rehabilitate addicts by providing them with necessary medical treatment, education and job opportunities to reintegrate them into society. Mann announced that the drug-free oath campaign would be expanded across Punjab, with students from schools, colleges, NCC and NSS units taking an active role.

"Slowly but surely, every young person in Punjab will take an oath against drugs, making it a collective movement," he said.

Speaking on this occasion, AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia said thousands of children taking an oath against drugs will further strengthen the Punjab government's 'Yudh Nashayian Virudh' (war against drugs) campaign.

He stated that today, every child in Punjab is pledging never to consume drugs in their lifetime.

They also vowed to prevent their families and communities from falling into drug addiction and to report any drug-related activities to the police and the government, he said.

Sisodia highlighted that thousands of children took the oath and nearly 15,000 students carried out an awareness campaign in Ludhiana's markets. The children personally encouraged people to take an oath against drugs, he added.

(editor@dailyworld.in)