DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government's ambitious 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign to eradicate drug abuse has reached a decisive stage, with every village and ward actively participating in the fight against this menace.

In a statewide mobilisation effort today, five Cabinet Ministers, including Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Hardeep Singh Mundia, Gurmeet Singh Khudiya and Barinder Kumar Goyal, along with 16 MLAs, other political dignitaries, and Civil and Police administration officials, held meetings across multiple districts, urging citizens to join the movement and transform it into a people-led initiative. Along with this, Cabinet Ministers and MLAs also reiterated the government's commitment to save the waters of Punjab.

During a high-impact event in Mansa, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemned previous state governments for their failure to curb drug trafficking, accusing then rulling parties of engaging in divisive and family based politics rather than addressing real issues. He said that the Mann government has already taken concrete steps to suppress drug circulation and is now waging a final battle to eliminate the scourge altogether. He vowed that drug traffickers would not be tolerated at any cost, reinforcing the vision of a 'Rangla Punjab'?vibrant and free from drug abuse. MLAs Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy, Dr. Vijay Singla, Principal Budh Ram and Gurpreet Singh Bananwali were also present at the gathering.

In Tarn Taran, at the 'Pinda de Pehredar' program, Cabinet Ministers Laljit Singh Bhullar along with MLAs Amansher Singh Kalsi, Sarwan Singh Dhun and Dr. Kashmir Singh Sohal emphasized that law enforcement agencies have been given full autonomy to take swift action against drug traffickers. They urged citizens to spread awareness and report drug trade activities, reinforcing community vigilance.

At a district-level Village Defence Committee meeting held at Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib, Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond declared that drug abuse will not be tolerated under any circumstances in Punjab, and the looting of the state's water resources will be strictly prevented.

(editor@dailyworld.in)