Shimla: Braving relentless monsoon rains and thick fog that cloaked the historic hill town of Shimla on Sunday morning, over 3,000 spirited participants—from energetic youths to determined senior citizens—turned up from across states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu to run with purpose.
The occasion was the 12th Himachal Pradesh Police Half Marathon, a powerful stride toward raising mass awareness against the growing menace of drug abuse.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla also reached the iconic Ridge to flag off the run, while Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu arrived to distribute the prizes to the winners.
Ravi Dass from Jammu won the first prize of Rs 51,000 in the 21.5 km category (male) while Rubi Kashyap from Mujaffar Nagar (UP) returned with Rs 51,000 in the female category in the 21.5 km run.
Among senior citizens of the 75-year (plus) age category, Dr Suman Trahan stole the show and emerged as the winner
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the involvement of government employees in drug-related activities.
“We are proposing some drastic steps and exemplary action against the government servants involved in drug smuggling and trafficking. Action has already been taken against 80 government employees. They are facing legal proceedings so far,” said CM.
The Chief Minister said that the government is preparing to launch a large-scale anti-drug campaign shortly.
“Mapping is being conducted at the panchayat ward level to facilitate targeted intervention,” he stated.
The government is also forming a Special Task Force to clamp down on drug trafficking, and the recruitment process is already underway. Additionally, 500 new posts will be filled in the Police department to strengthen enforcement efforts, he added.
The CM said the state is working on a two-pronged strategy, strict enforcement and a sensitive approach towards victims.
As part of the awareness drive, the Chief Minister also released a special song of ‘Harmony of the Pines’, dedicated to the anti-drug campaign.