CM vows to eliminate drugs from Himachal
Shimla: Demonstrating one of his strongest public commitments yet, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday vowed a decisive crackdown on the drug menace that has tightened its grip on the state’s youth, with worrying signs of it penetrating school and college campuses.
After a similar event in Shimla, the state’s capital, the Chief Minister led the Anti-Chitta Awareness Walkathon in Dharamshala, in which a large number of schoolchildren and people from various sections of society participated, which concluded at the Police Ground.
His Cabinet ministers, MLAs, senior police and civil officers, along with activists from various voluntary organisations, walked with the Chief Minister as part of a collective resolve and mass awakening against the grave dangers of narcotics and substance abuse.
The walkathon, which started from Dari Ground, Dharamshala, was marked with anti-drug slogans, with students and citizens carrying placards giving the message of Drug Free Himachal and the eradication of all types of drugs, including the fatal chitta from the state, and concluded at Police Ground, Dharamshala.
The serene and picturesque hill town of Dharamshala—popular for the Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, and the international cricket stadium—witnessed an overwhelming turnout of the highly enthusiastic men and women lining up with Sukhu and his team to give a clear message to those indulging in the illegal trade of drugs to wind up their activities or face the law.
Addressing the massive gathering, the Chief Minister signalled a strict warning to the chitta mafia and said that henceforth, the drug peddlers have no place to hide anywhere in Devbhoomi.
He said that although the PIT-NDPS Act was not invoked for years, the present state government has implemented it on the ground. Under this law, 46 major traffickers have been detained.
He said, “Every single rupee earned from drugs will be seized, and we have proven and have confiscated Rs. 46 crore worth of illegal property.”
He said that this was the new Himachal. “We will not stop until every trace of Chitta is wiped out from Himachal. This fight is not just against traffickers; it is against the entire network of the drug mafia and their empire. Anyone found selling drugs to our children will land in jail; their game ends here,” he remarked.
CM said, “Today I am not here as a Chief Minister, but as someone carrying a responsibility. I stand here as a shield to protect your future.” He added that the fight against chitta was not just a campaign but a battle to safeguard the future of the youth. The battle has now reached mission mode, he said strongly.
There were many challenges when the government came to power, but we decided to confront them head-on. “Together, we have broken the backbone of major drug suppliers and interstate gangs,” he said.
He announced a series of awards for those providing information about drug trafficking.
The chief minister said those whose secret information will lead to the recovery of two grams of Chitta will get Rs. 10,000 as a reward.
Similarly, Rs. 25,000 will be given for 5 grams, Rs. 50,000 for up to 25 grams, Rs. 5 lakh for up to 1 kg, and Rs. 10 lakh for more than 1 kg. He added that rewards above Rs. 5 lakh would be given for helping burst major networks. Information can be provided at the emergency number 112, he added.
