Punjab Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal today sternly warned drug dealers that they should either abandon this nefarious business or leave Punjab. He was speaking during the district-level function organized to swear in "Pindan De Pehredars" as soldiers in "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign.
Addressing a mammoth gathering, Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal said that under the anti-drug campaign launched by Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government, those sending drugs via drones from across the border are now unable to find people willing to collect these shipments as the government's strict measures have instilled fear among those involved in the drug trade.
"Drug abuse had escalated due to the laxity of the previous governments," said the Cabinet Minister, adding that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's government has firmly initiated this campaign to rein in malicious elements. He urged the members of village defence committees who have become "Pindan De Pehredars" to provide new direction and conviction to society.
He said that their names would be etched in the annals of history for making Punjab drug-free. Encouraging them to participate wholeheartedly in this effort, the Cabinet Minister also administered the oath to everyone to fight against drugs. Earlier, Aam Aadmi Party Executive President and MLA Batala Mr. Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi urged everyone to pledge that if anyone is selling drugs, they should report them to the police and if a drug trafficker is caught, no one should support them or arrange for their bail.
He said that the Mann government is pulling out the weeds planted by previous governments, to help Punjab bloom again in its pristine glory. "While strict action is being taken against drug traffickers on one hand, treatment is being provided to drug victims on the other by the Mann government," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the special guest MLA Jalalabad Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy said that the government has fully empowered the police to take action against drug traffickers without any interference, it has also instructed that if drugs are sold in any officer's jurisdiction, that officer will be held accountable. He said that previous governments patronized drug traffickers, but the Mann government is imprisoning them.
Fazilka MLA Narinder Pal Singh Sawna lauded the Fazilka Police's efforts against drug traffickers, while Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir said that when all people join this campaign, Punjab will certainly emerge victorious. Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu and SSP Varinder Singh Brar shared information about the efforts being made by the district and police administration to prevent drug abuse in the district.
Former Abohar MLA Mr. Arun Narang, District Planning Board Chairman Sunil Sachdeva, District Coordinator Anti-Drug Front Babbu Chetiwal, Sukhman Singh Sandhu, ADC (G) Dr. Mandeep Kaur, ADC (D) Subhash Chander, SDMs Krishan Pal Rajput and Kanwarjit Singh Mann, Assistant Commissioner General Amandeep Singh Mavi, CMFO Rupali Tandon and Karan Kataria were also present on this occasion.