STF chief ADGP Harpreet Sidhu
Punjab to depute Drug Abuse Prevention Officers: ADGP Sidhu
Patiala, June 26, 2017: The Amarinder government has decided to depute Drug Abuse Prevention Officers in the state to tackle the drugs menace at the grassroots level.
This was disclosed by ADGP Harpreet Singh Sidhu, the chief of Special Task Force (STF) on drugs. He was addressing the state level function organized here on International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
On the directions of the state government, the STF will depute Drug Abuse Prevention Officers at the street, mohalla and village level on honorary basis to break the supply line of drugs trade. Their job will be to identify the victims of the drug abuse and get them admitted to de-addiction centres. They will also keep a close watch on those who have given up use of drugs as well thr drug peddlers in their respective areas, he added.
ADGP Sidhu also informed about creation of a volunteer force from among the students studying in 8th Class up to the university level as part of an intensive campaign to keep about 30 lakh students in the state from the influence of drugs. They will act as sort of counselors in their respective peer groups besides generating awareness about the ill-effects of drugs.
Since inception, the STF has registered about 4500 police cases against drug peddlers and smugglers.