Work against peddlers, drug menace in integrated manner, Yogi tells GB Nagar officials

The CM, who was in Greater Noida on Friday to take part in an event at a private University there, chaired a joint review meeting around 2pm with officials of the district administration, the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Expressway authorities, and the Gautam Budh Nagar police

While reviewing progress of ongoing infrastructure projects, investment proposals, and law and order situation in Gautam Budh Nagar district on Friday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed all government bodies to work together to end the menace of drug trafficking in the district.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the meeting with GB Nagar officials on Friday. (HT Photo)

The CM, who was in Greater Noida on Friday to take part in an event at a private University there, chaired a joint review meeting around 2pm with officials of the district administration, the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Expressway authorities, and the Gautam Budh Nagar police.

During the two-hour long meeting, Adityanath directed chief executive officers of Noida, Greater Noida and Yeida to not stop inviting investors even if their yearly targets were met.

Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, Noida MLA Pankaj Singh and Dadri MLA Tejpal Nagar, Gautam Budh Nagar police commissioner Laxmi Singh, Meerut division commissioner Selva Kumari J, Noida authority CEO Lokesh M, Greater Noida authority CEO Ravikumar NG and Yeida CEO Arun Vir Singh CEO, among others, were present in the meeting held at Gautam Buddha University auditorium.

Adityanath also directed the Noida, Greater Noida and Yeida as well as the Gautam Budh Nagar administration to set up a drug rehabilitation centre in Noida to counsel those who fall victim to addictions. His direction came when the issue of drug trafficking in educational institutions was discussed in the review meeting. Adityanath directed the police and other bodies to work together or launch special operations to ensure that students do not fall prey to drug traffickers.

The direction came in view of multiple recent cases of police busting gangs supplying the contraband items, including MDMA, cocaine and hash, to universities and professional institutions.

He directed the police and other agencies to launch a drive against drug rackets in universities, luring students into drug addiction. He directed the officials to work in coordination with the universities and private institutions, who have been told to form internal committees to contain the use of the drugs on campuses.

All department heads gave presentations about their respective projects, plans and issues to the CM, who gave instructions to officials present in the review meeting. The CM devoted more time to the presentation given by Yeida, where more than a dozen mega infrastructure projects, including the greenfield Noida international airport, are being developed.

“All officials and bodies must work in coordination to serve the general public and to address the issues related with the general public and law and order. All three authorities must keep inviting more investors to create more jobs and opportunities even their investment targets are met,” said Adityanath.

“The CM directed the three authorities and other agencies to explore cheaper modes of public transport so that the general public can get the best service at reasonable rates in Noida, Greater Noida and Yeida areas, particularly from the Noida airport in Jewar. He emphasised that so many mega projects, including the airport, the aviation hub, medical device park, film city and food park, among others, will make this region the best in the world for work and business,” said MLA Dhirendra Singh.

During the presentation on law and order by commissioner Laxmi Singh, the chief minister lauded the police team for coming in first in the state in terms of issuing maximum traffic fines and recovering ₹8 crore in fines in 2023 and for seizing ₹ 81.88 crore of gangsters’ assets.

“We gave presentation on four points -- Operation Conviction under which we ensured the conviction of 736 criminals in different cases; Operation Drishti, under which we have managed to install at least 35,000 CCTV cameras on private and government premises for regular monitoring and better policing; about collecting ₹8 crore in terms of traffic fines and seizing ₹81.88 crore worth of assets of gangsters,” said commissioner Singh.

Adityanath directed the police and other agencies to form a special task force to launch a crackdown on land mafia who are building illegal buildings on government land and on Hindon riverbed, causing damage to the ecology.

The chief minister also directed the three authorities to address the homebuyers’ grievances by bringing in an effective policy without delay, and to also resolve issues that prevail in housing complexes regarding disputes among realtors and apartment owners.

On the demand of setting up a full fledged office of deputy registrar, chit and funds (that controls the social welfare societies including apartment owners associations and residents welfare associations ), in Noida as the one in Meerut is overburdened, thereby delaying resolution of disputes in housing complexes and residential sectors.

The UP CM also assured housing society representatives that their government will soon come up with a Lift Act to address issues pertaining to lifts in housing complexes.