Ongoing war against drugs enters final phase: CM Mann in Ludh
2
Ludhiana: Punjab chief minister
Bhagwant Singh Mann
on Monday announced that the state's ongoing 'War Against Drugs' campaign had entered its final phase, with the formation of defence committees in villages and urban wards to eliminate drug trafficking and ensure long-term vigilance.
Addressing members of these newly formed committees in Ludhiana, Mann said that the campaign, launched on February, 4, had already gone a long way in breaking the drug supply chain. He expressed gratitude towards people of Punjab for their support.
To maintain momentum of the campaign, the government has constituted village and ward defence committees, each comprising 10 to 20 members, based on population. Core members include the sarpanch or ward councillor, a representative from the anti-drug campaign, the BDPO or their representative, and the SHO or their representative.
Only individuals with clean records and strong reputation, such as retired Army personnel, teachers, and village elders, will be included.
Each committee will be officially notified by the local SDM, and members will receive government-issued ID cards to facilitate communication with authorities. These committees will monitor drug-related activities, assist in rehabilitation efforts, and conduct awareness campaigns through street plays, door-to-door outreach, and school programs.
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Villages and wards that achieve 100% drug-free status will be formally recognised and awarded certificates of appreciation.
Mann also criticised previous governments for failing to curb drug trafficking, stating that traditional parties were complicit and offered protection to drug dealers. He targeted leaders such as Charanjit Singh Channi, Partap Singh Bajwa, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Captain Amarinder Singh, and Ravneet Singh Bittu for allegedly supporting a former Akali minister currently jailed on drug charges.
Mann claimed new evidence against the minister will be presented in court.
In a separate announcement, the chief minister said that after the monsoon season, the government will begin repairing 20,000 km of link roads, calling them Punjab's economic lifelines. The event also saw the distribution of ID cards to defence committee members, with senior officials including health minister Dr Balbir Singh, housing minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, chief secretary K A P Sinha, and Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav in attendance.
Meanwhile, farmer union members staged a black flag protest near the venue, opposing the land pooling policy. Amandeep Singh Lalton, state vice-president of BKU Ekta Dakaunda, said they were stopped from meeting the CM and protested for several hours. He claimed the protesters included those whose land was affected by the scheme.
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25 minutes ago
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Utilise Chenab river water, shelve SYL canal issue: Punjab CM to Centre
Last Updated: Chandigarh, Aug 5 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday urged the Centre to utilise the waters of the Chenab River to resolve the water-sharing dispute between his state and Haryana and sought the scrapping of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. Mann participated in a meeting called by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in Delhi over the SYL canal issue, in which Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was also present. The Punjab chief minister said in the last meeting held on July 9, the Union government informed that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan has been suspended and it opens up an opportunity for India to utilise water from the Chenab River, one of the western rivers earlier given to Pakistan under the treaty. 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Mann also said the waters of the western rivers should be allocated to Punjab on a priority basis, adding that new storage dams upstream of existing Bhakra and Pong in Himachal Pradesh should be constructed, which will significantly enhance the storage and regulation of western river waters. Seeking the shelving of the SYL project, Mann unequivocally said that the Sharda-Yamuna Link for transfer of surplus Sharda River water to the Yamuna River and diversion of Chenab water to Beas River through the Rohtang tunnel should be done to eliminate the need for the SYL canal. He said the long-conceived project of Sharda-Yamuna Link should be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to the Yamuna River at a suitable location. Mann said the additional water available could offset the balance water requirement of Haryana from the Ravi-Beas system, apart from addressing the ever-growing drinking water requirement of Delhi and the availability of the Yamuna water to Rajasthan. 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Saini asserted that Haryana will present its case in a 'positive and solution-oriented" manner before the Supreme Court on August 13 and expressed confidence that a fair and favourable resolution will be achieved. PTI CHS SUN VSD RHL First Published: August 06, 2025, 00:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
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