E-Paper
Punjab governor’s 4-day walk against drugs concludes
The final leg of Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s march commenced from the Abohar railway station and culminated at DAV College
The anti-drug war can’t be won by enforcement alone as it requires a unified and sustained action by political parties, panchayats, educational institutions and religious organisations, Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria said on Thursday. His four-day padyatra (march) across the state’s sensitive border districts concluded in Abohar.
The final leg of the march commenced from the Abohar railway station and culminated at DAV College where vice-chancellors, principals of schools and colleges, representatives of NGOs, religious bodies, panchayat members and students gathered in large numbers.
Addressing the gathering, the governor, accompanied by local MLA Sandeep Jakhar — nephew of state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar — and others, said village panchayats should strengthen grassroots vigilance, educational institutions must expand preventive awareness and counselling initiatives, and religious and social organisations should reinforce community responsibility through sustained outreach.
During the four-day event that covered Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka, Kataria reviewed anti-drug enforcement measures with district administrations in the border region. Officials briefed him on surveillance mechanisms and steps taken to counter cross-border smuggling attempts, including technological measures aimed at intercepting drone-based trafficking.
Notably, Kataria’s campaign had drawn political attention during its Ferozepur leg where Radha Soami Dera chief, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP working president Ashwani Sharma were present.
Honoured at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib
In Talwandi Sabo, Kataria paid obeisance at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib where he was honoured with a siropa by jathedar Tek Singh Dhanaula. Earlier, he visited the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Bathinda, and took a round of the three-storey building that has 256-bed facility.
He also inspected Ved Kumari Mittal Patient Shelter Home, the facility that serves lodging and boarding needs of the patients and their attendants visiting the AIIMS.
