Drugs via drones: Punjab govt slams Centre for failing to intercept narcotics

Amid the blame game between the Centre and the state government over the prevailing drug menace in the state, the ruling AAP government has tried to corner the Centre on the issue of cross-border drug smuggling using drones. Criticising the Central Government, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh accused it of treating Punjab unfairly and attempting to undermine the state under various pretexts.

Regarding the issue of drugs entering via drones, Dr Balbir questioned why the Centre, capable of thwarting drone attacks from Pakistan, has failed to intercept drug-laden drones. He said that Punjab’s 30 million citizens would never allow such conspiracies to succeed.

Dr Balbir Singh remarked that 25 years ago, synthetic drugs like ‘chitta’ (heroin) were virtually unknown in Punjab, but they became widespread under the alleged protection of previous governments. Singh made these remarks while conducting an anti-drug campaign in the villages of Ichhewal, Rohti Basta, and Rohti Maura, emphasising that collective community action is crucial for uprooting the drug menace.

Singh announced the formation of Village Defence Committees and Ward Defence Committees to monitor and report drug-related activities. He urged the youth, women, panchayat members, and sarpanches to actively stay away from drugs and report drug traffickers to the authorities.

He also emphasised the importance of strong coordination between the public, district administration, and police and encouraged citizens to confidentially share drug-related information via the WhatsApp helpline, 97791-00200. Dr Balbir Singh appealed to families and communities to motivate those struggling with addiction to seek treatment at government-run de-addiction centres.