Una, 15 Nov:- Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that sports can be powerful weapons in the fight against drug abuse. Promoting sports activities is essential to channel the energy of young people in a positive direction and keep them away from drugs. The state government is continuously working in this direction, and organizing sports competitions in villages is an important initiative to connect young people with sports.
On Sunday, Mukesh Agnihotri inaugurated a three-day cricket tournament organized by Shaheed Bhagat Singh Club, Singa, in the Haroli Assembly constituency. A total of 32 teams are participating in the competition. He congratulated the club office-bearers for organizing the tournament and extended his best wishes to all participating players. He said that a campaign against drug abuse was being conducted across the state. The government's effort is to keep children and young people away from drugs and encourage them to take an interest in sports.
On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister announced a contribution of ₹51,000 from his personal funds for the first prize of the tournament. Encouraging the players, he said that young people should continue to maintain the same enthusiasm for sports. He added that the sports ground in Singa would be completed within one year, with ₹1.25 crore being spent on the project.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that strict action was being taken against people involved in the drug trade, particularly those engaged in the trafficking of chitta. Panchayats have also been urged to identify individuals involved in the drug trade in their respective villages and provide information about them. Properties worth approximately ₹3 crore belonging to people involved in the drug trade have already been seized in Una district. He said that chitta is a dangerous chemical drug that is ruining the lives of young people. Along with launching a special campaign against it, children are also being made aware of its harmful effects.
He said that strict action had also been taken against government employees involved in the drug trade. Around two dozen government employees across the state who were involved in supplying chitta have been dismissed from service. Properties acquired through the drug trade are also being seized. He emphasized that the fight against drugs is not merely the responsibility of the government or police but of society as a whole.
Mukesh Agnihotri said that being a border area, the region faces a greater challenge from drug abuse. If youth clubs, panchayats, women's groups and village intellectuals come forward unitedly, the campaign can be made even more effective. He said that this is not a political issue but a matter concerning the future of the state's younger generation.
Secretary of the District Congress Committee Sham Chadha, Gram Panchayat Singa Pradhan Dr. Ashok Kumar, Panchayat Samiti Member Sunita, former Pradhan Santosh Kumari, Shiv Temple Committee President Jagdish Rana, Congress leaders Balwinder Babbi, Sanjeev Kumar and Gulshan Kumar, along with members of women's groups and other prominent people, were present on the occasion.
