Launch vigorous awareness drive to eliminate drug abuse, says DC

Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal on Monday asked additional deputy commissioners (ADCs) and sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign against drug abuse in their respective areas, in collaboration with their police counterparts. “The goal is to eradicate drug menace from society,” he said.

Chairing a meeting focused on the anti-drugs campaign, here on Monday, the Deputy Commissioner emphasised that as part of the sensitisation effort, the ADCs and the SDMs, along with their police colleagues, would engage in face-to-face interactions with residents of local wards and villages.

“The approach aims to gather valuable suggestions and feedback from the community to effectively tackle the drug issue,” he stressed while highlighting that during these public interactions, senior officials would encourage citizens to collaborate with the government to eliminate the social evil and create a drug-free society.

To make the campaign a community movement, Jorwal directed the district officials to organise regular events such as public meetings, rallies, street plays (nukkad nataks), seminars, marathons and marches in various wards and villages to spread public awareness against ill-effects of drugs on the health and society at large.

The DC highlighted that strict actions were already being taken against individuals involved in drug trafficking by the police. Besides, he asked the officials to visit the OOAT (Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment) and de-addiction or rehabilitation centres within their jurisdiction to ensure that adequate facilities were available for those undergoing treatment there.

Jorwal reiterated the need for the firm support of the community in the crucial initiative to protect future generations from dangers of drug abuse.

He emphasised the importance of creating awareness, strengthening health infrastructure for ensuring treatment facilities for drug dependents and taking decisive action against smugglers to effectively curb the peril.

ADCs Amarjit Bains, Rohit Gupta, Kulpreet Singh and Shikha Bhagat, SDMs Dr Poonampreet Kaur, Simardeep Singh, Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, Baljinder Singh Dhillon, Rajnish Arora, Karandeep Singh and Pardeep Bains were among those others present.