To put an end to smuggling of drugs into Punjab from across the border, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday sought the help and cooperation from the Centre and the neighbouring states.
Capt Amarinder, addressing the 28th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Chandigarh presided over by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, referred to the rampant drug menace in Punjab saying that the problem needs to be combated in a systematic and organized manner.
“Centre should order security forces to maintain strict vigil on the border to check cross- border smuggling of drugs,” he said.
laying stress on the importance of inter-state coordination, he urged the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to make focused efforts for the destruction of illegal poppy and cannabis cultivations.
Capt Amarinder also called for effective plugging of pilferage of narcotic substances from areas where they are being cultivated legally for pharmaceutical and related purposes.
“Sharing of information and initiating criminal action against the smugglers involved in the trade should be encouraged,” he said.
He also called for shifting of poppy husk vends located in Rajasthan along the border villages of Punjab.
Saying that Punjab was a border state, Capt Amarinder demanded central government concessions as compensations for the financial and economic loss already suffered by it.
He also called for greater operational freedom to states in choosing and financing their developmental properties, since state governments “are in a much better position to understand, address and solve the problems of their people, at the cutting edge”.
Referring to the border status of Punjab, Captain Amarinder once again reiterated his demand for central government concessions, on the lines of the fiscal and industrial concessions being given to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, in order to compensate the state for the financial and economic loss already suffered by it.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern at the dilution, by the Chandigarh Administration, of the 60:40 ratio decided by the Government of India, at the time of reorganisation of Punjab, in the matter of all government posts in the departments of the Union Territory of India between Punjab and Haryana.
He urged the Union Home Minister to direct the Chandigarh Administration to ensure strict compliance with the 60:40 principle in matters of recruitment in all departments/categories of employees.
The Chief Minister also sought his Himachal Pradesh counterpart’s intervention to put an immediate stop to discharge of effluents into river Sutlej by industries/towns in Himachal Pradesh through various rivulets.
Pointing out that the Sutlej river water is used for drinking purposes in many parts of Punjab, Capt Amarinder said his government had initiated an ambitious project for cleaning of river waters and would ensure that all the waste water being discharged into Punjab rivers is treated before discharged, within the next three years.