Officials, NGOs told to work in tandem to tackle drug menace

Kapurthala, June 25

The district administration has called for concerted efforts by all government departments as well as social organisations to keep people away from drugs.

Following directives of Punjab government, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal on Tuesday instructed the departments concerned to initiate a joint endeavour against drugs. Panchal said that enhanced surveillance in drug hot spots was needed to track those involved in this malpractice. He said that people should also come forward to report such anti-social activity so that the civil and police officials could act accordingly.

Directing the officials of Health Department, the DC said that the people should be made aware about the drug rehabilitation programme and outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics in the district to boost rehabilitation. He said there was need to engage the addicts in different jobs which could provide them not only good earning but also keep them busy in work. He instructed the District Bureau of Employment Generation to find out suitable job avenues for addicts so that they could be engaged in different works to wean them away from drugs.

Meanwhile, SSP Vatsala Gupta also directed the police officials to freeze the properties of drug smugglers. She said that seizure would be done after proper identification.