Himachal CM launches 'Nasha Nahin, Zindagi Chunne' campaign in Shimla

The chief minister also informed a Special Task Force would be constituted to curb the drug menace in Himachal Pradesh.

"A Special Task Force would be constituted headed by ADG of Police CID and officers of Dept of State Taxes and Excise to curb drug menace in the state," said Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur while launching the 'Nasha Nahin, Zindagi Chunne' initiative in Shimla.

He said that the State Government was committed to eradicating the drug menace, for which an Integrated Drug De-addiction Policy has been adopted. The State Government has constituted a Nasha Niwaran Board.

The Chief Minister said that 73 posts of police personnel would be created and filled up in the Department of State Taxes and Excise for effective implementation of Excise NDPS and other regulatory legislation.

"This would not only safeguard Government revenue but also re-assert Government's commitment to combat drug menace in a holistic manner," he added. Thakur also initiated the process of the 'Excise Police Force' on the occasion.

Himachal CM said that it was the need of the hour to make the campaign against drug abuse a people's movement adding that only then this demon of drug abuse could be defeated and the younger generation saved from this social vice.

He advised the Police Department to remain a step ahead to nab those engaged in drug peddling. The Chief Minister said that better coordination between the police of neighbouring states was vital only then the chain of drug peddling could be broken.

Thakur said that it was on his initiative that steps were taken to chalk out a joint strategy to check the drug menace in the region.

He said that a meeting was held at Panchkula in Haryana in which Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir participated.

Further, he said that all the Chief Ministers and representatives of other northern States agreed to share the information regarding drug trafficking. He said that another meeting was hosted by Punjab in which Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Delhi also participated.

The Chief Minister also administered an oath against drug abuse on the occasion. He also distributed anti-narcotics drug detection kits and provided prizes to the winners of various events such as painting, marathons, slogan writing etc. competitions held on the occasion.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur listened to the Mann Ki Baat programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this occasion. He also flagged off vehicles of the Department of State Taxes and Excise to deal with drug peddling in an effective manner.

A short film of Nasha Niwaran Board on various initiatives taken by various departments was also screened on the occasion.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Vice Chairman State Civil Supplies Corporation Baldev Tomar, MLAs Vinod Kumar and Vishal Nehria, Chairman HIMFED Ganesh Dutt, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, Deputy Commissioner Shimla Aditya Negi were present on the occasion among others. (ANI)