Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond urges public support for drug-free Punjab.
Ludhiana: Punjab minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond on Wednesday urged every citizen to take personal responsibility in making the state drug-free, saying only a grassroots movement can eliminate the crisis.
He pitched sports grounds in this fight.
Addressing villagers in Boothgarh, Mahoun, Ramgarh, Malakpur, Harion Kalan and Majra Rahaon as part of the ongoing Nasha Mukti Yatra (Drug-Free March), Sond said village defence committees must play an active role in supporting the govt's anti-drug campaign. "This fight needs to be waged in every home, every street. Only then can Punjab truly be free of this menace," he said.
To support the campaign, the state has launched a dedicated WhatsApp helpline — 97791-00200 — where citizens can report illegal drug activity. Sond assured that informants' identities will remain confidential. He also called on panchayats to help identify individuals struggling with addiction and bring them to govt de-addiction centres for treatment. A pledge was administered during the meetings, affirming collective support for the anti-drug campaign.
To reinforce positive engagement, Sond announced the development of two model sports grounds — one at Boothgarh for a cost of ₹35 lakh, and another at Majra Rahaon for ₹20 lakh. Each will cover 2 acres and be ready within four months. In addition, village pond and drainage improvements are planned for Boothgarh, Harion Kalan and Majra Rahaon, with cleaning and wall-lining works budgeted at ₹25 lakh per site, to be completed by Nov 30.
The minister said these infrastructure projects will provide youth with healthy outlets and help prevent substance abuse by promoting sports and community activity.
MSID:: 121465240 413 |
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
16 hours ago
- Mint
Employee with broken leg told to return to work with ‘we can give you a chair'; he resigns
'Don't worry if you've broken your leg, I can give you a chair' - imagine receiving this message from your boss while lying in bed with a fractured leg, simply seeking approval for sick leave. Ben Askins, known for sharing content about toxic workplaces and exploitative managers, recently posted a WhatsApp chat between an employee and their boss — and it's now gaining massive traction on social media. The conversation reveals the manager persistently urging the employee to return to work, even though the worker had suffered a broken leg in a bike accident. Initially, the manager asks the employee about his whereabouts. The employee replies that he has broken his leg and is currently in hospital. Instead of showing concern for his well-being, the boss replies, 'But I need you for the Friday shifts.' Read | 'Complete task by 4 pm, or else...': Techie quits 'toxic' job in 45 days; gets flooded with support on Reddit The injured employee explains that doctors have advised him to take bed rest for a few days. Despite this, the manager continues pushing him to return. The employee, trying to be cooperative, responds that he will definitely come back if the doctor permits. The boss then says, 'I can get you a chair.' When that doesn't work, the manager resorts to guilt-tripping, accusing the employee of taking time off despite having joined the company just two weeks earlier. 'Then let me make it even easier for you,' the employee responds, adding, 'I quit.' Narrating a similar experience, one Instagram user wrote: 'Years ago, while working for a publishing house that produced a fashion magazine, I fell ill. The boss/owner refused to grant me sick days (even though I was legally entitled to them), claiming 'you're not really sick, it's just a cold'. Then, during an after-hours meeting — where my presence was completely unnecessary — he told me, 'You must cough in silence, you're interrupting me while I speak.' I assure you, these scenarios really do happen.' 'I had an employer offer me a chair so I could return to work while I was off with tendonitis in my foot. When I eventually went back, I asked for the chair I'd been promised, and they said, 'We don't really do that. Can't you stand on one leg?'' 'I worked for a company that was terrible about allowing people time off. One day, I noticed a large lump in my neck. My doctor referred me to a specialist — only available during the day. My workplace refused to let me take time off to attend the appointment. Months later, I finally managed a day off. The ENT said surgery was urgently needed due to the size of the tumour. It turned out to be thyroid cancer, requiring radioactive iodine treatment. After three days in hospital, I was released — only to receive a call from HR asking what my intentions were. I said, 'My intention is to survive.' She replied, 'No, I'm asking when you're coming back to work.' I said, 'I need to take care of myself. I'm not dying for you.' And that was that.' 'I wouldn't have quit — not in a hundred years. Far better to wait to be fired so I could lodge a claim.'
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Toxic much? New employee quits in two weeks after manager's shocking response to injury
Imagine breaking your leg and being told, 'We can get you a chair'. This is what happened to one employee, just days into a new job, as per a video shared on Instagram. According to the WhatsApp conversation shown in the clip, a manager repeatedly asked the employee to return to work despite the worker suffering a broken leg in a bike accident. Ben Askins, who often shares posts about toxic workplaces and bosses, shared the video with a caption that read, 'Don't worry if you've broken your leg, I can give you a chair.' As per the text messages, the manager initially tries to bargain with the employee to convince them to return to work despite being informed about the medical emergency. When that fails, the boss tries to guilt-trip the worker and accuses them of taking time off after joining the company two weeks prior. 'Then let me make it even easier for you,' the employee responds, adding, 'I quit.' A post shared by Ben Askins (@ Narrating a similar incident, an Instagram user wrote, 'Years ago, while working for this publishing house of a fashion magazine, I fell ill. The boss/owner refused me sick days (even if by law I would have been entitled to them) because 'you're not really sick it's just a cold' then, during an after-hours meeting and when my presence was completely useless, tell me 'you must cough in silence, you are interrupting me while I speak'. I assure you that such scenarios do happen.' Another added, 'I had an employer offer me a chair so I could come back to work when I was off with tendonitis in my foot. When I got back to work, I asked for the chair I'd been offered, and they said, 'We don't really do that, can't you stand on one leg?'' A third joined, 'I worked for a company that was pretty bad about letting people take off from work. One day, I noticed a large lump in my neck. My doctor said I needed a specialist; they are only open during the day. My work would not let me off to see the doctor. Finally, after several months, I got a day off to see an ENT. He said surgery right away due to the size of the tumour nodule. I had surgery and was told it was, in fact, thyroid cancer, and I would need radioactive iodine treatment. After three days in the hospital, I was released to go home and wait for the treatment. The day I was released, I got a call from HR, and she asked me what my intentions were. I said, ma'am, that 'My intention is to survive'. And she said, 'No, I'm asking when you are coming back to work'. And I said I need to take care of myself. I'm not dying for you, and that was the end of that.' A fourth remarked, 'Not in a 100 years I would have quitted. Way better to wait getting fired so I can put my claim.'
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
World Environment Day 2025: Download HD images for WhatsApp & Facebook
Download HD images for WhatsApp & Facebook: World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5, aims to raise awareness about the importance of caring for our natural surroundings. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the day inspires people of all ages—children, students, adults, and leaders—to take meaningful actions such as reducing pollution, minimising plastic usage, and preserving forests and wildlife. As people worldwide celebrate this day, many are choosing to express their support through digital platforms. From sharing HD wallpapers to posting eco-themed WhatsApp statuses and Facebook greetings, visual content has become a meaningful way to inspire change. In this article, we'll share high-quality World Environment Day 2025 images to spread awareness and celebrate this important global event.
