Nawanshahr, June 26
The Punjab DGP, P.S. Gill, today launched an awareness drive against the menace of drugs in the state by flagging off a cycle rally, organised by the district police in collaboration with an NGO, Sankalp Welfare and Awareness Society (SWAS), to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking at ITI grounds here today.

A large number of activists of social organisations, elected representatives of municipal councils, panchayats, youth and women activists of the Nari Shakti Jagran Manch braved the scorching heat to participating in the state-level cycle rally, aimed at creating awareness among the masses against the menace of drugs.

Enthusiasm was seen not only among the participants in the rally, but also among the residents of different villages, who gave rousing welcome to the participants by organising “chhabeels” to provide cold and sweetened water to them en route the rally, which culminated at Khatkar Kalan, ancestral village of the great martyr, Sardar Bhagat Singh. Activists of the Nari Shakti Jagran Manch presented a choreography. Literature highlighting the ill effects of the drug abuse was also distributed en route the rally.

At Khatkar Kalan, the DGP accompanied by the IG, Jalandhar Range, Sanjiv Kalra, DIG, Jalandhar Range, S.S. Chauhan, SSP, SBS Nagar, Narinder Bhargav, paid floral tributes to the martyr and administered an oath to the participants of the rally to launch a crusade against the drug abuse by spreading the awareness about it in their respective areas.

Dr Narinder Bhargav, SSP, Jaswinder Singh Patti (SWAS), Dr Pavittar Singh and Gurcharan Singh Basiala delivered lectures.

“The Punjab Police as per the directions of the Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, has decided to mobilise NGOs in the state to create awareness against the drug abuse to save the Punjabi youth from the havoc being played by the drug abuse,” said the DGP, adding that the encouraging response from the NGOs as well as the rural youth witnessed at Nawanshahr has given a fillip to the drive in the very beginning and other districts would be asked to emulate the initiative taken by the SSP, Narinder Bhargav.

“If the people from all walks of the life would unite and come forward to wage a war against the drugs, nothing can stop the drive from turning into a mass movement,” the DGP said.

Meanwhile, the district-level NGOs Coordination Society, UPKAR, took out a “parbhat pheri” to create awareness among the masses against the menace of drug abuse. The “parbhat pheri” started from the local Gurdwara Singh Sabha, and passed through the main bazaars and localities of the town.

The district Youth Congress today organised a seminar on “Menace of drug abuse: A tragedy - unattended”. Youth Congress activists, including Sukhcharan Singh, general secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, and Rajwinder Singh Lucky, District Youth Congress president, representatives of NGOs, teachers, lawyers, traders, among others, participated in the seminar.

Jalandhar: The Youth Congress Jalandhar (Rural) on Saturday launched the pioneer programme of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi “Tragedy unattended” on the occasion of World Drug De-Addiction Day and organised a seminar at Guru Nanak Library. As many as 130 activists, including the Block presidents and Block Youth Congress members from 10 blocks of Jalandhar (Rural) participated in the seminar. Jalandhar Youth Congress (Rural) chief Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary said that under this programme Congress workers would identify drug addicts in five villages each in the 10 blocks and assist in their rehabilitation.

He said that identification of drug peddlers, including the chemists who sold synthetic drugs, would be done through a task force. “We have also decided to meet the Commissioner of Police to demand strict action against such criminals,” he added.

Batala: World Drug De-Addiction Day was observed at the range level in Batala police district here on Saturday.

Iqbalpreet Singh Sahota, IG, Border Zone, Amritsar, Parampal Singh Sidhu, DIG, Border Range, Amritsar, Dinesh Partap Singh, SSP, Batala, Rahul Chabba, SDM, and other prominent personalities attended the programme.

The main purpose of the function was to make people, especially youth, aware of the ill-effects of the drugs.

Artistes, singers and dramatist gave their performances against drug addiction.

Jalandhar, June 26
Commonwealth Express, an exhibition train, on the theme of sports and information technology, will reach the Jalandhar city railway station from Amritsar tomorrow. It will remain at the station for public viewing for a day.

The 11-coach train is being jointly run by the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

According to railway sources, the train carries several exhibitions regarding informative activities pertaining to sports and information technology. The general public may watch the displayed items during its stay here after its arrival in the wee hours on Sunday.

It may prove beneficial, especially for the younger generation, as it is likely to enrich their knowledge about sports and information technology.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off the Commonwealth Express from Safdarjung railway station, New Delhi, on Thursday.

It reached Amritsar on June 25, the day when the Commonwealth Games Queen’s baton relay entered India from Pakistan.

After travelling through 49 cities and towns across the country, covering 23 states and the UT of Puduchery and Chandigarh, it will return to New Delhi on October 2.

Phillaur, June 26
A young patient, Rakesh Kumar of nearby Sindhwan village died for want of blood transfusion as blood donor Gurmukh Singh could not reach a Ludhiana hospital due to the delayed working of the employees at the toll plaza, Ladhuwal.

Ravinder Rinku, vice-president of the Goraya Nagar Panchayat, alleged that ailing Rakesh was in dire need of blood transfusion and his brother Gurmukh rushed to Ludhiana to donate blood but the toll plaza employees did not allow him to pass through a separate way during a huge rush. Though he had a valid daily pass of the toll plaza, despite repeated requests the employees at the toll plaza did not allow him and he was detained for about 20 mintues in a long queue owing to which he could not make it to the hospital in time.

As per the agreement signed between the government and the toll plaza firm, no vehicle could be detained or delayed for more than three mintues. — OC