MLA Rajinder Beri, Commissioner of Police Praveen Kumar Sinha and Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varinder Kumar Sharma today appealed the people wage a relentless battle against scourge of drugs till its last ounce was not removed from the district.Continuing the mass interaction program under the Drug Abuse Prevention Officer (DAPO) scheme, the MLA, DC and CP today held a joint public interaction at Ali Mohalla locality in the heart of the city.During the function, the MLA, CP and DC asked the people to support this pious mission of the state government, which aims at complete eradication of drugs from the district. They said that no such program could achieve success without the active support and cooperation of people. They also said that the parents and kin of the drug addicts must shun the so called social stigma attached to this problem and come forward for treatment of their dear ones.They said that drug addicts could be reformed well by detoxification through the government drug de-addiction centres in local civil hospital and Nurmahal.
Likewise, they said that that besides these two centers Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centers were also operational in Jalandhar, Phillaur and Nakodar where outdoor health care services were being imparted to the patients suffering from drug addiction. They said that DAPO program aims at persuading the addicted youth to take proper treatment so that they could also lead a normal life like others and contribute immensely in socio-economic growth of the state.They reiterated that Punjabis have been blessed with indomitable spirit to excel even in hostile conditions. Citing the examples of terrorism, they said that Punjab overcame even those ‘dark days’ due to the firm commitment and resolve to make the state a peaceful and progressive state. They urged the people to revoke the same spirit to ensure that the problem of drug was completely eliminated from the district.Highlighting the significance of DAPO scheme they said that these volunteers were assigned task of raising awareness against drug abuse, identification of users, high risk people and vulnerable sections. They said that drug addicts were not criminals and were infact victims, which need to be brought into the main fray through this initiative.
They said that massive efforts have already been made to cut the supply line of drugs but perhaps for the first time in the globe a serious effort was being made to check the demand of drugs by motivating the people to be partners in this cause.They said that said that the DAPOs would also motivate the drug users and their families to avail treatment facilities besides facilitating their treatment and counseling at drug de-addiction centres besides provide feedback to the state government on the issue. They said that the state government intends to create a mass movement against the drugs through an army of volunteers above the age of 18 years in every Mohalla/ Ward/ Village of the district.On the occasion, the DCP Mr.Gurmeet Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr. Mandeep Singh, Assistant Commissioner (Under Training) Mr.Himanshu Jain, SDM-1 Mr.Sanjeev Sharma, ACP Gurpreet Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr. DS Buttar, Municipal Councilor Mr. Vipan Chaddha, Congress leader Mr. Amrit Khosla and others were also present.