Chandigarh/Dera Bassi (Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar), March 20:
The Punjab Government’s ‘Yudh Nashiyan Virudh’ campaign, launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, received a significant boost today as all village heads (Sarpanches) and Panchayats of the Dera Bassi constituency pledged their full support to the initiative. This commitment was made in the presence of Rural Development & Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, following an initiative led by MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa.
While addressing the gathering, Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond emphasized that it is time for strict action to protect Punjab’s youth from the scourge of drugs. Issuing a stern warning to drug peddlers, he stated that they must either close their illicit activities or leave Punjab. He assured that drug-affected individuals would be rehabilitated and reintegrated into mainstream society. Furthermore, he declared that the government is taking legal action against drug traffickers by demolishing properties acquired through illegal drug trade, setting a strong example for others.
Sond stressed that boosting industrialization in Punjab would generate employment opportunities, ensuring that young people are productively engaged and do not fall into drug addiction.
Sond further announced that a statewide campaign to clean 13,236 village ponds will be launched in the upcoming financial year. Water samples from these ponds will be tested, and those deemed fit will be used for irrigation. Ponds with poor water quality will be treated using the Seechewal and Thapar models, with treatment plants being installed to purify the water.
Additionally, the minister revealed that the government will renovate and repair connecting roads in a 5 km radius of villages to improve rural infrastructure. Moreover, sports grounds will be established in every village to encourage youth participation in sports.
Minister Sond urged village heads (Sarpanches) to take proactive steps in securing financial resources for village development, suggesting collaboration with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and industrialists for additional support.
Punjab Mandi Board Chairman, Harchand Singh Barasat, lauded the efforts against drug abuse and emphasized the need for collective actions. MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa hailed the move to integrate Panchayats into the ‘Yudh Nashiyan Virudh’ campaign as a positive step. He noted that the Dera Bassi constituency’s 92 Panchayats have already received grants exceeding ₹9.10 crore from the state government. He informed Minister Sond that the campaign is receiving overwhelming public support in the constituency.
Providing updates on law enforcement actions, District Police, reported that 52 drug traffickers have been arrested in 21 cases across hotspots in Trivedi Camp, Dera Bassi, Dayalpura, and Zirakpur. Confiscated substances include:
15 kg of opium
1.29 kg of cocaine
3 kg of cannabis (ganja)
2.7 kg of hashish (charas)
118 grams of heroin
684 intoxicating pills
13.5 liters of illicit liquor
700 grams of poppy husk
₹3.31 lakh drug-money
Additionally, assets acquired through illicit drug trade have been seized under NDPS Act Section 27(A).
The event was attended by senior district officials including Sarpanches from nearly 85 villages.
