Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday launched a massive public movement against chitta (synthetic drug), marking the beginning of a decisive campaign across the state. The Chief Minister led the ‘Chitta-Virodh’ awareness walkathon from the Ridge to Chaura Maidan in Shimla.
A large number of children, public representatives, officials and prominent citizens, along with people from all sections of society, participated in the walkathon. The Chief Minister administered an oath at the Ridge, urging people to stay away from drugs and addictive substances.
Addressing the gathering at Chaura Maidan, the Chief Minister said the state would confront the challenge of chitta collectively. Public participation would ensure that drug traffickers find no safe harbour. This initiative would be historic in wiping out drug kingpins and peddlers, he stated.
“Chitta-Free Himachal is not merely a governmental initiative but a people’s movement," he remarked. He said it is a battle against drugs that requires the collective efforts of all. Himachal’s movement against drugs must echo not only across the mountains of the state but throughout the nation, he appealed.
The Chief Minister added that schools would not only be temples of education but centres of values and safety.
Sukhu appealed to women, especially mothers, to steer the movement effectively, stating that women can play a pivotal role in awakening society and becoming the backbone of this campaign.
He also appealed to religious institutions to raise their voice against drug abuse. “If all religious institutions stand together against chitta, then no one will be able to stop us from ending this evil,” he said.
Issuing a stern warning, the Chief Minister said those involved in the chitta business, destroying the future of children and ruining families, will find no place in the land of the gods. “Our police is ready, our government is ready and, more importantly, our people are ready to root out chitta,” he remarked.
He said the goal was to create a Himachal where chitta becomes a thing of the past, with no place in the state’s future history. The Chief Minister said chitta was silently harming our culture, values and the future of our children. A strong public movement has now begun to end this menace. He said the State Government was working on three main points to fight drugs.
He stated that the government was focusing on three main parameters. First, spreading awareness against drugs. Second, preventing youth from falling into the drug trap by taking strict action against the drug mafia and strengthening law-enforcement agencies and giving them power to deal sternly with the chitta network. Third, ensuring the rehabilitation of children and youth trapped in addiction. He said addicted youths were not criminals and needed treatment, care and support.
The Chief Minister said the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against chitta. No one involved in this trade will be spared, no matter how influential they may be. Soon after coming to power, the government implemented the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act to send repeat offenders involved in drug trafficking to jail.
New laws have also been passed for treatment, rehabilitation and control of organised drug crimes. These include provisions for the death penalty, life imprisonment, fines up to Rs 10 lakh and seizure of property belonging to drug traffickers.
Sukhu said the State Government will soon form a team of 1,000 Anti-Chitta Volunteers who will act as a link between the police and the public. He said police have been instructed to identify drug users and drug mafias at the panchayat level, and this work has been completed.
A Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Board has been formed, and a new chapter on drug awareness will be added to the school curriculum.
After the walkathon, the Chief Minister interacted with students and participants, explaining the harmful effects of chitta. He also met parents who lost their children to drugs and offered them support.
Ministers Dr (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil, Harshvardhan Chauhan and Rajesh Dharmani, Media Advisor to the CM Naresh Chauhan, Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar, MLAs, the Mayor, prominent citizens, religious leaders and senior officers took part in the walkathon.
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