Punjab launches phase 2 of anti-drug drive with village committees

Punjab Launches Second Phase of Anti-Drug Campaign

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal launched the second phase of the anti-drug drive “Yudh Nashian Virudh” on Wednesday. The campaign aims to involve community participation at the grassroots level.

The government has recruited 1.5 lakh volunteers, named “Pinda de Pehredaar,” who will join Village Defence Committees (VDCs) to conduct anti-drug campaigns in nearly 13,000 villages across the state.

The VDCs will report drug smuggling locally and assist the government in rehabilitating drug addicts.

Launch Event and New Tools

At an event at Lovely Professional University, Mann and Kejriwal introduced a special app for VDCs to report drug peddlers. They also announced a missed-call number “9899-100-002” for citizens to volunteer.

Kejriwal stated that the first phase led to significant action against traffickers, high conviction rates, and increased public participation. The second phase aims to strengthen these efforts to dismantle drug networks in Punjab.

VDCs, consisting of 10-20 people, will be formed in all villages to ensure drug-free communities.

Volunteer Training and Reporting

Kejriwal mentioned that 1.50 lakh people have volunteered for these committees. Previously, only police and administration were involved, but now VDCs will work together for a drug-free Punjab. They have received training to report drug sellers in their villages.

An app will be installed on their phones to report drug activities. Their identities will remain confidential, and monitoring will occur at the Chief Minister’s Office to ensure action is taken. Any local collusion will be addressed, including actions against involved administration or police.

Upcoming Activities and Rehabilitation Efforts

The VDCs will conduct padyatras from January 10 to 30 across Punjab. They will compile a list of drug addicts for rehabilitation. Kejriwal noted that the condition of de-addiction centers has improved significantly, increasing capacity from 1,500 to 5,000 beds.

The anti-drug campaign has shown positive results, with the conviction rate in NDPS cases rising to 88%. Among 28,000 cases, 88% have resulted in imprisonment.

Criticism of Previous Governments

Kejriwal criticized previous Punjab governments for their handling of drug issues. He claimed that drugs were prevalent during the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government and that promises made by Capt Amarinder Singh during the Congress regime were not fulfilled.

He highlighted the AAP government’s actions, including demolishing properties of drug peddlers and arresting significant traffickers like SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

Mass Movement Against Drugs

CM Bhagwant Mann emphasized that the fight against drugs is a mass movement. He stated that police or government action alone is insufficient. Mann described drug sellers as enemies of society and assured that they would face consequences.

He acknowledged that drug addicts are victims needing sympathy and treatment, and the government will support their rehabilitation.

Overview of the First Phase

Arpit Shukla, special DGP (Law and Order), provided an overview of the first phase, which began on March 1 last year. This phase focused on cracking down on drug smugglers and rehabilitating drug addicts.

A total of 29,980 FIRs were registered under the NDPS Act, and 358 major drug smugglers were arrested. Approximately 90,000 drug addicts received treatment in state-run de-addiction centers.

With Punjab sharing a 550-km border with Pakistan, ₹40 crore was spent on strengthening defenses against cross-border drug smuggling. Since the launch of the anti-drone system, 252 foreign drones carrying drugs and weapons have been neutralized.