Manawala Kalan village sets an example, to boycott drug traffickers socially

Setting an example, the Gram Panchayat of Manawala Kalan has decided to socially boycott those who are involved in illegal drug trade and push the youth into the deadly trap of drug abuse.

The newly elected Gram Panchayat led by Sarpanch Satnam Singh Lala and former Sarpanch and prominent leader Sukhraj Singh Randhawa passed several resolutions, including the one on socially boycotting the drug peddlers and taking action against them with the help of police.

“We have passed these resolutions after discussions with the village residents who were peeved at rampant drug abuse while the government agencies and the police department failed to rein them in,” said the Sarpanch.

“Apart from this, we have also decided to name the sports stadium here in the name of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh,” said Lala.

Speaking to The Tribune, Sukhraj Singh Randhawa said that the situation had turned grim. “Even children are being pushed into drugs by the traffickers. We are left with no option but to wage a war against those who are destroying our youth and future. We will do whatever we can, even sit on hunger strike in case the government, police and district administration fail to take note of the drug scourge in our village, he pointed out. He said that recently, a villager whose land was fraudulently usurped by drug traffickers in lieu of drugs approached him for help.

Kulwinder Singh, a member of the panchayat, said that all the residents of the village are on the same page as far as the fight against drugs is concerned. “We name and shame the traffickers in the village by pasting their posters outside their residences,” he added. There are dozens of those involved in drug trafficking, he added.

Narrating his tale of woes, Hardev Singh, another village resident, said his elder son has been in drugs for the past four years. He was 12 years old when he fell into the deadly trap of drug addiction. He said all efforts to wean him away from drugs have failed and drug dealers are luring young children into this trap in their own interests.

A woman Lakhwinder Kaur said not only men, several women were also involved in selling narcotics.

Among other resolutions passed by the Gram Panchayat is renaming sports stadium in the village in the name of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Apart from this, the panchayat would make FDs of Rs 3,100 for the newborn girl child so that it would help them in future education. The panchayat would also arrange coaching for UPSC and PCS examinations for the children of poor families. The villagers would also have to take permission for hosting DJs in the village.