'Join hands to eradicate drugs'

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 23

Former IG and Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh on Thursday called upon people to join hands to eradicate rampant drug abuse in society.

He said until and unless the common man joins hands in fighting against the scourge of drugs, it would be difficult to stem the problem. Singh was speaking during an anti-drug awareness rally organised by an NGO to mark the upcoming International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to be observed on Sunday.

Kunwar also detailed about most commonly abused drugs, their physical and mental effect on a person’s body and on society. He told about short and long term effects of drugs versus substance use disorder.

He said comprehensive strategies were needed as it was a criminal justice issue and a healthcare problem. Ankur Gupta, member of the NGO, advocated setting up sports universities or colleges at the district level to promote sports in Punjab. He said the government should also strengthen the criminal justice system besides strengthening drug treatment centres and recovery programmes.

Kunwar’s intervention sought for removal of encroachments from historic Ram Bagh

Amritsar: A local NGO has sought the intervention of Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh for the removal of illegal encroachments from the historic Ram Bagh. A statement issued by the patron of Amritsar Vikas Manch, Charanjit Singh Gumtala, read the AAP government’s campaign to get rid of illegal occupation of government properties was limited to the common man. It was still not reaching the major and influential violators. “I sent an e-mail on May 7 to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann; Principal Secretary, Local Government, Vivek Partap Singh; Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu; DC Harpreet Singh Sudan to remove illegal occupation from the historic Ram Bagh. I have informed that under the agreement reached between the President of India and Governor of Punjab on December 4, 2018, except for the buildings constructed by the Maharaja, the rest of the constructions including SDO office of the MC, offices, food stalls, lawn tennis court and skating rinks should be demolished. Serving and consumption of liquor and other commercial activities are prohibited, as it is a protected monument of the ASI, but all these activities were still going on,” Gumtala said. tns

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