Punjab governor announces cash prizes for drug-free villages

Amritsar: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday announced cash prizes for drug-free villages even as he stressed on taking strict action against drug smugglers and peddlers.

He further said that the entire border area will be covered with the anti-drone system within an year.

Purohit is on a visit to the border districts of Punjab. On Tuesday, he had visited Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts and interacted with members of the village defence committees.

Purohit was flanked by Chief Secretary Anurag Verma and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.

On Wednesday, after visiting the border areas in Amritsar, Purohit lauded the efforts of the state police and the BSF in seizing huge quantities of narcotics. He also expressed concern over the smuggling of drugs and weapons from across the border through drones and emphasised the need to remain alert.

Talking to reporters here, Purohit said a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh will be given to the top-three drug-free villages in each district as incentives.

DGP Yadav said anyone who helps the police in capturing the drone coming from across the border will be given a reward of Rs one lakh.

Praising the efforts of the state police force towards checking the problem of drugs, Governor Purohit said the police seized drug smugglers' properties worth Rs 28 crore and 140 kg of drugs in one district.

We have instructed that the property of an accused must be seized soon after he is convicted, he said.

He further said the entire border area will be covered with the anti-drone system within a year.

"We have to save our young generation from drugs. School principals talk about the drug problem. I read in newspapers that women are holding an agitation against the menace," he said, pointing towards the enormity of the drug problem in the state.

Replying to a question on coordination between him and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Purohit in a lighter vein said, "He remains too busy. The CM is now too busy. I feel that they too may not be getting time (in an obvious reference to officers sitting beside him)."

The governor and Chief Minister Mann had been at loggerheads over various issues in the past.

Referring to six border districts -- “Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran and Fazilka -- Purohit said these are important districts from the security point of view as drugs and weapons are pushed by smugglers from across the border into these areas.

"They (these districts) need to be secured and for this, there was a need for coordination in all security agencies," he said.

Purohit also lauded "full coordination" between the central agencies, including the BSF, Army and the Punjab Police in their efforts in checking smuggling of drugs.

He also highlighted the need for people's participation, especially in the border areas, to combat the menace of drugs. "People's participation is a must and they need to be alert," he said.

"Pakistan cannot fight directly, so they are adopting this strategy. They also send weapons along with drugs. We all have to remain alert to their designs," said the governor.