DC calls upon ADCs and SDMs to launch vigorous grassroots awareness campaign to eliminate drug abuse

Newspunjab

Ludhiana,3 march 2025

Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal on Monday asked the Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) and Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to initiate a comprehensive awareness campaign against drug abuse in their respective areas, in collaboration with their police counterparts. The goal is to eradicate the drug menace from society.

During a meeting focused on the anti-drug campaign, the Deputy Commissioner emphasized that as part of this sensitization effort, ADCs and SDMs, along with their police colleagues, would engage in face-to-face interactions with residents of local wards and villages. This approach aims to gather valuable suggestions and feedback from the community to effectively tackle the drug issue. He highlighted that during these public interactions, senior officials would encourage citizens to collaborate with the government to eliminate this social evil and create a drug-free society. To make this campaign a community movement, regular events such as public meetings, rallies, street plays (nukkad nataks), seminars, marathons, and marches will be held in various wards and villages.

Jorwal noted the importance of grassroots input in establishing a strong mechanism to combat the drug problem and work towards making the district drug-free. He highlighted that strict actions are already being taken against individuals involved in drug trafficking by the police. Additionally, he stated that officials should visit the OOAT (Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment) and de-addiction or rehabilitation centers within their jurisdiction to ensure that adequate facilities are available for individuals undergoing treatment there.

The Deputy Commissioner reiterated the need for the firm support of the community in this crucial initiative to protect future generations from the dangers of drug abuse. He emphasized 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 drug crisis.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included ADCs Amarjit Bains, Rohit Gupta, Kulpreet Singh, Shikha Bhagat, SDMs Simardeep Singh, Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, Poonampreet Kaur, Dr Baljinder Singh Dhillon, Rajnish Arora, Karandeep Singh, Pardeep Bains, Assistant Commissioner Payal Goyal and others.