DW BUREAU / Shimla

Zero tolerance policy against drug abuse would be adopted in the state, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu announced in Vidhan Sabha on Thursday.

Responding to a discussion on a resolution brought by Congress MLA Kewal Singh Pathania regarding the elimination of drugs and making a permanent policy against it, Sukhu said that strict action within a month will be taken against government officials and employees found involved in drug smuggling.

The state government is serious about the problem of increasing drug abuse and action would also be initiated against government employees providing secret information to the drug smugglers, he told the house.

Two bills have been introduced by the government in the current session on Wednesday to put a tab on drugs and a drug de-addiction center would come up in an area of 150 bighas in Kotla near Solan district for which a provision of Rs 5 crore has been made in the budget,

he said.

Mapping of drug consumers is being done in 3,605 panchayats which aims to reveal the drug abuser and his sources of drugs (Chitta- adulterated heroin), he said.

He added that strict instructions have been given to all SPs that there should be no interference of any officer or politician regarding the drugs.

He said that due to the efforts of the government and the police department, a 30 per cent decline has been registered in the drug trade. After the implementation of the new law, end-to-end information about drug trade in the state would be available. Sukhu further said that the government has increased vigilance and he also spoken to Punjab government for an increase vigil in border areas.

Earlier, Ranjeet Singh Rana, Sanjay Ratna (Both Congress) and Rakesh Jamwal (BJP) participated in the discussion on this resolution.

Satisfied with the chief minister's reply, MLA Kewal Singh Pathania withdrew his

resolution.

(editor@dailyworld.in)