Amarinder seeks Centre’s help to check drug smuggling
Saturday, 13/05/2017
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CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday sought Centre’s and neighbouring states’ help to check smuggling of drugs from across the border.
Addressing the 28th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) here, presided over by Union home minister Rajnath Singh, the CM referred to the rampant drug menace in Punjab and said the problem needs to be combated in a systematic and organised manner.
Amarinder said the Centre should order security forces to maintain strict vigil along the border. He said inter-state coordination was needed between 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.
In a release issued here, the CM also called for effective plugging of pilferage of narcotics 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.
