Garhshankar, January 3: Addressing a drug awareness camp organised at Gurdwara Sahib in village Mehtabpur in Garhshankar, Deputy Speaker of Punjab Assembly Jai Krishna Singh Raudi said that the Punjab government is continuously taking strict steps to make the state drug-free. He said that the positive results of this campaign are now coming to the fore. Raudi stressed that the role of village panchayats is very important in the prevention of drug abuse. He appealed to the panchayats to understand their moral responsibility and ensure that the youth of the village are not misled and stay away from drugs.
The Deputy Speaker said that the strict steps taken for the prevention of drug abuse in the last two and a half years under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann are historic. He said that the government is running awareness campaigns by reaching out to villages and localities so that every person can become a part of this campaign. He said that the aim of the government is to realise the dream of 'Rangla Punjab' and for this the energy of the youth is being channelised towards sports in positive activities.
The Deputy Speaker said that while the government is committed to the rehabilitation of the youth trapped in the clutches of drugs, it is leaving no stone unturned in taking strict action against those involved in the drug trade. Addressing the Sarpanchs and Panchs of all the villages, he said that the responsibility of the Panchayats is not limited only to the development of the villages, but the Panchayats also have the moral responsibility to save the youth from drug addiction. He said that the Panchayats should cooperate with the government in this fight against drug addiction and promote awareness campaigns in the villages.
On this occasion, the youth who have started a new life by giving up the habit of drug addiction shared their experiences. They told how they came out of the clutches of drugs and gave a new direction to their lives. The Deputy Speaker appreciated the efforts of these youth and said that they will become a source of inspiration for other youth. The Deputy Speaker finally said that the dream of a drug-free Punjab will be realized only when the government, Panchayats and the general public together make this campaign a success.
On this occasion, SDM Garhshankar Harbans Singh, SP Major Singh and DSP Garhshankar Jaspreet Singh, OSD Charanjit Singh Channi, BDPO Garhshankar Manjinder Kaur, Baljinder Singh Malhi SHO Garhshankar and officers of other departments were present.