No tobacco, drugs or energy drinks: Punjab village of 4,000 makes a bold move

In a move aimed at making the village free of drugs and tobacco, the panchayat of Katorewala in the Malout Assembly segment has passed a unanimous resolution banning the sale of tobacco and its byproducts, energy drinks and the use of drugs in their area.

The panchayat has also declared that anyone violating the order would face a fine of Rs 11,000. The person reporting such a violation would receive Rs 6,000 as a reward, while the remaining Rs 5,000 would go to the village gurdwara fund.

The village has a population of nearly 4,000.

Talking to The Tribune, the sarpanch of the village, Harpreet Kaur, said, “We recently convened a meeting and invited local shopkeepers as well, to address growing concerns over substance abuse among village children. The meeting, attended by all panchayat members, culminated in a unanimous resolution imposing stringent prohibitions and penalties to provide a better environment for the residents. This step has been taken to safeguard the health and future of our youngsters.”

She added, “Since the copy of the panchayat’s resolution has gone viral, many people have called to congratulate us. A sarpanch from Ropar district also approached us to seek details for implementing a similar resolution there.”

As per the resolution, no shopkeeper is allowed to stock or sell any product containing tobacco or its substitutes, or energy drinks, and if someone is caught consuming ‘chitta’ (heroin) in a public place, the panchayat will report the matter to the police for legal action.

Earlier, some villages had passed resolutions against drug peddlers, stating that nobody will pursue his/her case.