Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma has asked all sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to implement Drug Abuse Prevention Officer (DAPO) program in letter and spirit to make Jalandhar a drug free district.Chairing a meeting with the Additional Deputy Commissioners and Sub Divisional Magistrates at the District Administrative Complex, the Deputy Commissioner said that the state government led by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is committed to wiping out the drug menace completely from Punjab and told SDMs to make a calendar of daily activities regarding the anti-drug campaign.Mr Sharma stated them to work with full zeal and enthusiasm in this cause by involving them personally in the activities being carried out under the DAPO program. He said that SDMs must interact with the people during their visits to persuade drug dependents for the treatment in drug de-addiction and Ooat centres.He asked them to hold a meeting with master trainers, cluster heads, Nasha Roko Nigran Committees, DAPO volunteers who were assigned the task of creating awareness against drug abuse, identification of users, high-risk people and affected areas, besides sarpanchs, municipal councillors for result oriented functioning of the program.
He said that the drug dependents are not criminals and must be treated as victims and they are needed to be brought into the mainstream through this initiative, for which the SDMs could play a key role.Mr Sharma said that massive efforts have already been made to cut the supply line of drugs. He categorically said that any sort of callousness in implementation of activities was undesirable and unwarranted. The Deputy Commissioner also said that he would regularly monitor the progress of the DAPO program and told the Sub Divisional Magistrates to submit daily report of activities to him so that effective supervision can be made. Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Additional Deputy Commissioners Mr. Kulwant Singh and Mr. Jasbir Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mr Gurmeet Singh, Sub Divisional Magistrates Mr. Paramvir Singh, Mr. Amit Kumar, Ms Charumita, Assistant Commissioners Ms. Shayari Malhotra, Dr Anupreet Kaur, SP (H) Mr Ravinder Pal Singh, DMC Dr Harpreet Kaur Mann, Deputy DEO Mr Anil Awasthi, Assistant Nodal Officer SVEEP Mr Surjeet Lal and others.