I am bringing these lines of the chief poet of Punjabi, Padma Shri Dr. Surjit Patar to your attention because today our colorful Punjab, the home of the dove, has truly fallen victim to someone's evil eye. A few days ago, I heard the news that Punjab has become the third most affected state in India in terms of HIV infection cases. According to experts, the main reason for this is the syringes used for drug use.
 This is a very serious and worrying matter. Even today, Punjab is still in the forefront of the most prosperous states of India, but due to drug abuse, an entire generation is in danger today. Today, more than 9 lakh youth between the ages of 15 and 35 in our state are addicted to drugs in some form or the other. This problem has become so widespread that at least one person in more than two-thirds of the households in Punjab is addicted to drugs. 
Our lush green province was once known for its dance halls, wrestling arenas, fairs and festivals, today we are facing the shameful stigma of "Udta Punjab". Many of our youth are seen lying unconscious in graveyards, ruins and abandoned empty buildings instead of playing fields, after using drugs and other intoxicants. Although it is true that drug abuse is a global problem today, our country is not economically strong enough to deal with this epidemic effectively. 
The health service infrastructure is not strong enough like in western countries to reach every drug addict at the grassroots level. The number of drugs and their methods of use are increasing at an astonishing rate. In Punjab, the scourge of drug use has taken the form of a plague that has shaken the fabric of our society. 
Illegal drug abuse not only affects the health and life of the user, but also weakens the political, social and cultural foundations of the entire country. The prevalence of drugs can be estimated from the fact that it has become the third largest business in the world after petroleum and arms.
Almost all the newspapers published from Punjab today are full of such news in which a huge consignment of drugs is seized. Such sad news is also read that a son has killed his mother, father or his wife for drugs. The root cause of domestic violence is also drug use. Houses are being destroyed, the only young sons of families are dying of drug overdose.
If we talk about the solution to this terrible problem, then the Punjab government has already launched the "War on Drugs" campaign. Under this, many measures are being emphasized such as the police will identify "hotspots" of drugs, the supply chain will be broken and strict action will be taken against drug dealers.
 In the last few days, the news of the 'Yellow Paw' operation has also made headlines. Under this, the properties of drug smugglers have been confiscated and the palatial buildings built with black money have been razed to the ground. Similarly, the Punjab government is planning to launch a drug control policy focused on drug de-addiction and rehabilitation. 
The community policing wing of the Punjab Police will motivate the youth to stay away from drugs. The school and higher education department is considering revising the curriculum of students, in which information about the ill effects of drug abuse will be given. At present, there are about 300 drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centers in the state and one center for women is running in Kapurthala. 
Although the government is fully committed to solving this problem at its own level, our religious, social and youth organizations can play a more positive role in curbing the flood of drugs. Idleness and unemployment are also one of the main reasons for this problem. So the youth should get an opportunity to get employment or do some manual labor according to their ability. Today, the same cry is coming from every corner of Punjab that drive away drugs, save youth, bring prosperity.

-Davinder Kumar