Sukhu flags off anti-chitta walkathon, administers anti-drug pledge to youth

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday flagged off the ‘anti-chitta awareness walkathon’ in Dharamsala.

The 2.2-km walkathon started from the Dari Mela Ground and concluded at the Police Ground, drawing participation from thousands of youngsters and students of more than 50 educational institutions of Kangra district.

The event — centred on the theme ‘Chitta ko harana hai, yuvaon ko bachana hai’ – was aimed at mobilising the youth in a mission-mode approach to safeguard the future of Himachal Pradesh, raising awareness and encouraging societal responsibility in combating the menace.

Addressing a huge gathering at the Police Ground, the CM said, “There is no place for chitta in Dev Bhoomi Himachal.” He urged young people to become active partners in eradicating the problem of drug abuse, emphasising that the fight against narcotics required collective effort and sustained vigilance.

The Chief Minister also spoke about the measures taken by the government under the NDPS-2024 framework, designed to curb drug trafficking with stringent enforcement.

Highlighting the recent confiscation of properties acquired through drug trade, he said assets worth around Rs 40 crore had been seized through 40 peddlers who were behind bars. “No person, no matter how influential or wealthy, will be spared,” he asserted.

Sukhu also launched the ‘Chitta Prize Yojana’, an incentive-driven initiative encouraging citizens to report drug-related activities. Under the scheme, informants, whose identities will remain confidential, will receive Rs 10,000 for information on up to 2 grams of narcotic substances, Rs 25,000 for five grams, Rs 50,000 for 25 grams, and up to Rs 5 lakh for larger hauls. Citizens can report illicit drug trade-related activities on the number — 112.

The Chief Minister interacted with students and youth groups, gathering feedback and motivating them to stay committed to the cause. He also administered an anti-drug pledge to the youth. Awareness about the harmful effects of ‘chitta’ was also raised through balloons and a paraglider display.

Agriculture Minister Prof Chander Kumar, AYUSH Minister Yadvinder Goma, Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Chairman RS Bali, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, Himachal Pradesh Planning Board Vice-Chairman Bhawani Singh Pathania, and MLAs Sunder Singh Thakur, Rakesh Kalia, Suresh Kumar, Sanjay Awasthy, Malendra Rajan, Harish Janartha, Neeraj Nayar, Ranjit Singh, Hardeep Singh Bawa, Kamlesh Thakur and Anuradha Rana attended the event. Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari and other dignitaries were also present.