Punjab: Ministers divide state into 4 zones to monitor action against drugs

Cheema said the members of the cabinet sub-committee have been assigned different districts between himself, Aman Arora, Tarunpreet Singh Sound, and Laljeet Singh Bhullar, to tighten the noose around drug traffickers.

Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who is heading the five-member committee of cabinet ministers to monitor the ongoing action on the drug menace on Saturday said that the state has been divided into four zones while the health minister will oversee de-addiction efforts.

Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who is heading the five-member committee of cabinet ministers to monitor the ongoing action on the drug menace on Saturday said that the state has been divided into four zones while the health minister will oversee de-addiction efforts. (HT File)

Cheema said the members of the cabinet sub-committee have been assigned different districts between himself, Aman Arora, Tarunpreet Singh Sound, and Laljeet Singh Bhullar, to tighten the noose around drug traffickers.

The fifth committee member, health minister Dr Balbir Singh, will oversee drug de-addiction activities in the state, Cheema said.

Cheema added that he will visit Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar and Tarn Taran districts while Arora will look after Ludhiana, Patiala, Kapurthala, Mohali, Amritsar and Jalandhar. Minister Taranpreet Singh Sond will visit Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga and Malerkotla and Laljit Singh Bhullar will see Faridkot, Mukstar, Fazilka, Mansa and Ferozepur.

Cheema also appealed to the families of drug addicts to admit their kin to de-addiction facilities and said that this decisive war against drugs aims to break the supply line of drugs.

Meanwhile, cabinet minister and AAP state chief Aman Arora called for a united front to combat the drug menace.

Giving a clarion call to all the political parties, social and religious organisations and NGOs to come forward to join hands with the Punjab government to form a united front and make Punjab a drug-free state, Arora said: “It is a collective responsibility of 3 crore citizens of Punjab. We must stand united and fight this menace with all our might.”

Arora stated that the Punjab Government has made a comprehensive action plan to eradicate the drug menace and this includes prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation measures to help victims return to mainstream life.

Police authorities are dealing with drug traffickers and have been directed to treat drug users with empathy and compassion, he added.