Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave Punjab a three-month deadline to make the state drug-free.
Chairing a meeting of top police officials, including police commissioners, senior superintendents of police and deputy commissioners, and civil administration here, Mann announced a slew of measures, including a crackdown on smugglers, special courts for speedy trial, confiscation/demolition of their properties and no subsidy to peddlers and their family under various government schemes, to tackle the drug menace in the state.
“The state government has a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs. Punjab Police has a long and glorious history of dealing with hostile law and order situations. They will make the state completely drug-free with the active support and cooperation of the general public,” he said.
Cabinet ministers Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora, Balbir Singh, Laljit Bhullar and Tarunpreet Sond – all members of a five-member sub-committee constituted by the CM to monitor the government action against drugs, were also present.
The AAP, which made a pre-poll promise to eradicate drugs from Punjab, has been drawing flak from the opposition parties for failing to deliver.
While campaigning for the 2022 state polls, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had vowed that Punjab would be made drug-free within three months if the party formed a government in the state.
On Friday, Mann told the police officers to ensure that within three months, there should be no availability of drugs. “After a month, an evaluation of each SSP will be made on progress made in the anti-drug programme in the district. All officers will be accountable and action will be taken against non-performers,” the CM said, asking the officers to ensure that bails of arrested accused in big and intermediate quantity cases are opposed tooth and nail.
{{/usCountry}}On Friday, Mann told the police officers to ensure that within three months, there should be no availability of drugs. “After a month, an evaluation of each SSP will be made on progress made in the anti-drug programme in the district. All officers will be accountable and action will be taken against non-performers,” the CM said, asking the officers to ensure that bails of arrested accused in big and intermediate quantity cases are opposed tooth and nail.
{{/usCountry}}He also stressed on timely submission of challans in NDPS Act cases along with the on-time submission of chemical reports.
The CM said the state government will set up special courts to ensure speedy trial of the drug cases and ensure the conviction of the culprits.
He said preventive measures should be taken in schools and colleges so that youth do not fall prey to the scourge of drugs. “The supply line of drugs should be snapped and those selling the drugs should be put behind bars. The government will ensure the drug peddlers and their families do not get any sort of subsidy in terms of free power, water and others from the government so that it acts as a deterrent for the criminals,” he said, outlining his government’s multi-pronged strategy.
Mann further stated that the necessary formalities regarding these decisions will be finalised soon. “If any further amendment in the NDPS Act is required to ensure exemplary action against drug peddlers, the same will be flagged with the Union government,” he said.
The CM said that the place from where drugs were sold will be transformed into a place of knowledge sharing to make the youth aware of the drug menace. Citing the example of Narangwal village where an illegal property of a drug smuggler was razed on Thursday evening, he said that a library will be constructed over the shamlat land where the house was razed. He also said that comprehensive inquiry and action in all cases of drug overdose deaths in a district should be undertaken.
He directed strict action against police officials involved in the consumption/promotion of drugs and confiscation of properties of convicts in drug smuggling with immediate effect with 100% demolition of the illegal properties in commercial quantity cases.
The CPs and SSPs were asked to identify the drug hotspots followed by CASO operation every fortnight by senior officers in every hotspot area and jails on a weekly basis and extensive domination drive day and night with a focus on recovery of narcotics.
Mann asked the deputy commissioners, CPs and SSPs to work in tandem to implement de-addiction and prevention strategies. He said the DCs should inspect all the de-addiction, rehabilitation and OOAT centres, both government and private, regularly. They were also told to provide relief from the CM Relief Fund in each case of drug overdose death.