NAWANSHAHR - Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Chairman, Cabinet Sub-Committee on 'War on Drugs' today announced a strict zero tolerance policy against those involved in drug trafficking in a decisive step to tackle the menace of illicit drug trade. He said that no person involved in this evil or anyone trying to protect the culprits would be spared, irrespective of his position or influence. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema while addressing a meeting with civil and police administration at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar during the second leg of his tour of various districts to promote the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign across the state said that 530 FIRs were registered, 697 persons were arrested and huge quantity of narcotics including 42 kg heroin, 15 kg opium and 41027 narcotic drugs were recovered during the ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign across the state from March 1 to March 5.
The Finance Minister said that under the anti-drug drive, cordon and searches of hotspots, checking of jails for mobile phones, checking of chemist shops, raids on known smugglers, drug peddlers and couriers were being conducted under the supervision of senior police officers in the state, besides meetings with students in schools and colleges in urban and rural areas to promote participation of common people in the campaign. Later, while talking to the media, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that during the previous Congress government, the conviction rate was 58 per cent, but under the AAP-led state government, it has increased to 86 per cent in the last three years and the target is to reach 100 per cent. He referred to the impressive performance of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, where the conviction rate has been recorded at 99 per cent.
He said that not a single defaulter got bail during this period and out of 46 cases, conviction has been pronounced in 44. The Finance Minister said that before the Akali-BJP government from 2007 to 2017, no one had heard of chitta (synthetic drugs). Even the swearing-in ceremony of Captain Amarinder Singh at Sri Talwandi Sabo during his tenure proved futile and later Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also failed to curb drug menace in the state.
He further said that now most of the drug smugglers are behind bars. Their properties are being confiscated and the rest have either left this business or are fleeing the state.