Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to press for a national policy for the prevention and control of drug abuse, with a coordinated strategy for checking smuggling of narcotics into the border state.In his letter, the Chief Minister has sought a series of measures to be taken by the Government of India to support the state’s efforts to fight the drug problem, which he observed was seriously impairing the future of our next generation.While the state government was determined not to let this happen, “we need full and active support from Government of India in formulating and pursuing effective measures including the National policy for prevention and control of drug abuse,” said the Chief Minister.Captain Amarinder Singh urged the Home Ministry to ensure effective check on smuggling of drugs from across the border by BSF, restrictions on drug plantations in the neighbouring States, and formulation of a National Policy to regulate and prevent drugs in the country.
The Punjab Police has detected and caught huge quantities of heroin and other drugs smuggled from across the international borders, said the Chief Minister, adding that “the intelligence gathered by us in this regard is shared with BSF regularly, but unfortunately smuggling continues unabated to the detriment of our society.”The Chief Minister pointed out that his government, on its part, was aggressively chasing drug peddlers and smugglers to obliterate drugs from the State. Besides making every possible effort to have drug addicts treated with proper medication.The state government’s strategy, focused on strict enforcement of laws, de-addiction and prevention of drugs, has started yielding good results, he said, adding that during the last few weeks, Punjab has been able to build a peoples' campaign against drugs. As a result, footfall in drug rehabilitation centers and Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) Centres set up by the state government has increased substantially, he further pointed out.“While we will continue with our efforts to check the menace of drugs, it is felt that certain measures need to be taken at the level of Government of India,” the Chief Minister asserted, seeking appropriate necessary action at the earliest possible.