AMRITSAR: Governor of Punjab Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria and President, Indian Red Cross Society, Punjab, met with representatives of Village Defense Committees and said that these committees will be further strengthened so that smuggling taking place in border villages can be controlled.
Gulab Chand Kataria said that due to the absence of Village Defense Committees, large consignments of drugs are being recovered in villages and they need to be further strengthened so that the villages can be freed from the problem of drugs.
On this occasion, while listening to the problems of the committee members, he emphasized that women at the village level should also come forward and increase coordination with the administration to eradicate drugs or other problems in their homes and society. The Honorable Governor asked the members of the Village Defense Committees to get sports stadiums ready in their respective villages so that the youth of the villages can use their energy in the right direction and work hard to build their own and the future of the country.
On this occasion, he specially mentioned two international hockey players: Ramandeep Singh Olympian, Akash Deep Singh Arjun Awardee Olympian and said that these two players have illuminated their state and country at the global level. Both these players were also part of the Honorable Governor's anti-drug march which started from Nawan village today and ended at Pandher village.
On this occasion, the Honorable Governor of Punjab said that exemplary work is being done by the Village Defense Committees and the committee members who have done commendable work will also be specially honored.
He also distributed sports kits to the members of the Village Defense Committees. On this occasion, members of the Village Defense Committees of various villages Mardikalan, Sohia Kalan, Anayatpura, Pandher Khurd, Mehndipur, Johal, Bogowal, Rakh Bhangwan, Bhoma, Dhande, Dharpai and village Pandher were present.
Addressing a huge gathering of thousands today at the start of the Padyatra against drugs, the Governor of Punjab said that the brave Punjabis who have always given a befitting reply to external attacks will now achieve victory in this war against drugs as well. He said that drugs are a social evil and every section of the society will be taken to eliminate it.
Governor Punjab Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria said that the land of Punjab is a symbol of protection of religion and culture. The land here has made sacrifices against oppression.
He recalled the message given against the extremes of oppression by Guru Gobind Singh Ji's sons Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, who were martyred by being carved into a wall in Sirhind for the protection of religion, at the age of 9 and 7 respectively, and said that even today, when we visit that place, our eyes get moist. He said that we should firmly oppose this conspiracy by external forces to physically weaken the brave Punjabis born on such a great land and should support the government in the fight to uproot drugs from the land of Punjab.
The Governor of Punjab said that the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign launched by the state government is yielding tangible results and now there is an opportunity for every conscious citizen of Punjab to support the government in this fight and make the land of Punjab drug free. He said that when any work is done in a social way, success is sure to come.
The Governor of Punjab Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria further said that drug smugglers use many methods of smuggling, one of which is sending drugs across the border through drones.
He said that our security forces have been successful to a large extent in stopping drone activities with the cooperation of the people and work is being done to stop it completely. He said that the state government is also taking action against big drug smugglers and the drug network is being broken. He said that through the foot march, they are mobilizing the people of the state against drugs.
The people of the district gave a big response during the foot march. A large number of school and college students participated in this foot march and also gave the message of a drug-free Punjab through street plays against drugs. On this occasion, a blood donation camp was also organized by the team of the health department. The foot march will start from village Majjupara in Amritsar district on April 6 and will end at village Chetanpura Nursing College Fatehgarh Churian Road.
On this occasion, Mr. Vivek Pratap Singh, Principal Secretary, Governor Punjab, Mr. Shivdular Singh Dhillon, Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society Punjab, Mrs. Sakshi Sahni Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Satinder Singh DIG. Mr. Maninder Singh SSP. Rural, Shri Lalit Jain IAS, Dr. Jaspal Singh Former Vice Chancellor Guru Nanak Dev University, Mrs. Paramjit Kaur Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mrs. Gursimranjit Kaur Assistant Commissioner, besides officials of various departments, representatives of religious, social, educational and social service organizations were also present.