DW BUREAU / Ludhiana

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said the 'War Against Drugs' campaign has reached its final phase, and the newly formed defence committees in villages and cities will uproot drug trafficking from the state.

Addressing members of defence committees here, the Chief Minister said the government launched the campaign on February 4 and has achieved major success in eliminating the root of the drug problem. He said the backbone of the drug supply chain has been entirely broken.

Mann thanked the people for their enthusiastic support in this noble mission to save the future generations.

The Chief Minister said that to keep villages and cities drug-free in the future, the government has formed the defence committees. He said he is confident that these defence committees will act as generals in this war against drugs and safeguard our villages and cities.

"We have dreamt of making Punjab vibrant again, and with your cooperation, no power in the world can stop us from realising this dream," he added.

The Chief Minister said he had pledged to restore Punjab's pride, honour, and self-respect, adding no stone would be left unturned for it. Mann explained that each village or ward defence committee will be formed with four core members: the village sarpanch or ward councillor, a representative from the anti-drug campaign, the BDPO or their representative, and the Station House Officer (SHO) or their representative.

He said these committees will include 10 to 20 members, depending on the population and only individuals with clean records and reputations, such as retired army personnel, teachers, and village headmen, will be included.

The Chief Minister categorically said each committee will be officially notified by the local Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM), and committee members will be issued special government ID cards.

He said it will facilitate communication with the administration regarding drug-related information or anti-drug activities.

Mann said villages and wards will have round-the-clock surveillance to ensure no trafficker dares to operate.

The Chief Minister envisioned that committee members will also assist in drug rehabilitation efforts and help reintegrate former addicts into society. He said that Any village or ward that achieves 100% drug-free status will receive formal recognition and certificates of appreciation from the government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that These committees will raise awareness through street plays and door-to-door campaigns adding that schools will also conduct awareness programs for children.

The Chief Minister noted that more than 10,000 village-level meetings have already been held, and many Panchayats have passed resolutions to declare their villages drug-free.

Squarely blaming traditional political parties for dragging Punjab into the swamp of drug addiction, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the current government is forced to launch such extensive campaigns to wipe out this stigma. "If the previous governments had restrained drug traffickers, we wouldn't need to conduct such programs today. Governments usually form development committees?not defence committees, he added.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has been forced to form these committees to fight the war against drug dealers. He said that While the incumbent state government is fighting them, traditional parties were hand in glove with them and were offering them protection. Targeting leaders of traditional parties who supported a former Akali minister currently in Nabha jail on drug charges, Bhagwant Singh Mann said it's shocking that Congress leaders Charanjit Singh Channi, Partap Singh Bajwa, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh, and Ravneet Singh Bittu are openly speaking in his favour.

The Chief Minister said that this exposes the collusion between traditional political parties adding that when in power, they've covered up each other's wrongdoings. He once again challenged them to make it clear to the people of Punjab that whether they are with the drug traffickers or against them. Bhagwant Singh Mann also revealed that important evidence has been found against the jailed former Akali minister and it will be presented in court.

Making another major announcement, the Chief Minister said that after the monsoon season ends, the government will begin extensive repair work on 20,000 km of link roads across the state, describing them as Punjab's economic lifelines. Highlighting the Aam Aadmi Party government's achievements over the past three and a half years, Bhagwant Singh Mann said many pro-people decisions have been made as for the first time, canal water is reaching the tail ends of fields, resolving irrigation issues.

He further said that over 55,000 government jobs have been given solely on merit adding that by closing several toll plazas across the state is saving Punjabis Rs 64 lakh daily, a major economic relief.

(editor@dailyworld.in)