Yudh Nashian Virudh: Cyclothon calls upon every section of society to unite against drug abuse in Jalandhar
Over 2,000 participate in event
Under the anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh” being run by the Punjab Government, the district administration, in collaboration with APJ School, organised “Cyclothon 4.0” today to spread awareness against drug abuse.
Around 2,000 participants took part in the cyclothon, giving a call to every section of society to unite against drugs. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varjeet Walia flagged off the cyclothon from APJ School. The DC, along with officials, also participated in the cyclothon and urged people to build a strong mass movement against drugs.
Addressing gathering on the occasion, The DC said under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Government had waged a war against drugs, with support coming from all sections of society. He sought public cooperation, adding that the initiative was aimed at uniting people against the menace of drugs and encouraging youth to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
The DC said participants from Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and other districts took part in the cyclothon. He expressed hope that these energetic youths would act as beacons of change and spread awareness against drugs in every household.
Participants, cycling clubs, officials and employees who contributed to the success of the event, along with office-bearers of the District Olympic Association, were honoured.
The youngest cyclists who participated in the cyclothon were also felicitated. Children with special needs from Red Cross and Prayas School also took part in the cyclothon.
Folk singer Dalwinder Dayalpuri and Ravi Dara, Assistant Director, Youth Services, motivated youth to stay away from drugs through performances. The cyclothon was organised in three categories — 5 km, 10 km and 21 km — starting from APJ School, Model Town, and concluding at the same venue after covering designated routes, where participants were warmly welcomed. Prominent cyclists, including Pankaj Gautam, Mandeep Prabhakar and Balraj Chauhan, participated in the event.
The DC said while strict action was being taken against drug traffickers, awareness campaigns had also been initiated. Free treatment was being provided at de-addiction centres, and vocational training was being imparted to help recovering individuals stand on their own feet and rejoin the mainstream of society. He appealed for active participation from all to eradicate the menace of drugs from society.
Among those present at the event were Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Divya P, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Tejdeep Singh Saini, Fit Bikes Club president Parmjeet Singh Sachdeva, Dalit Development Board Vice Chairman Ajay Pal Valmiki, Principal Dr Rajesh Chandel, ADCP Jayant Puri, Jalandhar-1 SDM Navdeep Singh, Jalandhar-2 SDM Shayri Malhotra, Adampur SDM Lal Vishwas Bains, Phillaur SDM Deepak Bhatia, ACP Ashok Meena, Assistant Commissioner (G) Asha Rani, Deputy DEO Rajeev Joshi, District Red Cross Society secretary Surjit Lal, Model Town Shopkeeper Association president Rajeev Duggal and other dignitaries.
