Provide credible info on chitta, and you can get Rs 10,000 to Rs 10 lakh: Sukhu

Sukhu appealed to citizens to extend cooperation in eradicating the menace of chitta. He said that special deployment of CID and police personnel has been made in 234 panchayats of the state highly sensitive to drugs. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to constitute anti-drug committees in these panchayats and instructed NCORD to conduct regular meetings in every district in the state. Besides, the CM also urged youth, people, Mahila Mandals, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions and other voluntary organisations to actively contribute in making the state drug-free.

Sukhu directed the district administration to identify properties acquired through drug trade and submit their reports to the government by December 10. These properties would be demolished and those involved would be strictly punished. He said that 60 government employees, including 15 police personnel, were found involved in chitta trafficking. While five have already been dismissed, legal action is underway against the others. He further directed the officials to submit details of all the government employees involved in drug trafficking by December 10. He said that anti-chitta walkathons would soon be organised at district and sub-division levels as well.

The CM said that the government was not only ensuring strict enforcement but was also strengthening the counselling, treatment and rehabilitation mechanisms for individuals used to and affected by drug abuse. Drug testing has been made mandatory for all government recruitments. Anti-Drug Clubs, Prahari Clubs and peer education programmes are being made more active in schools and colleges. Strict surveillance is being maintained on cannabis cultivation and pharma units are being thoroughly inspected. The prosecution directorate has been directed to expedite appeals in NDPS cases, review acquittals and improve conviction rates. He said that parameters related to supply, demand and harm reduction under drug control will now be included in the annual confidential reports of officers.

He said that the state was the first in the country to classify panchayats into red, yellow and green categories and has identified 12,000 individuals under this model which was now being recognised nationally as exemplary.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary Shyam Bhagat Negi, DGP Ashok Tewari, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar, Secretaries M Sudha Devi, Rakesh Kanwar and Sushil Kumar Singla along with other senior officers attended the meeting. Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from all districts too joined the meeting virtually.

Representatives from various central agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Postal Department and the Railway Protection Force also attended the meeting besides officers and officials of the state government.