Sunil Chadha
Shimla:
Stepping up its crackdown on the chitta menace, the Himachal Pradesh government has begun mapping drug hotspots at the panchayat level, with preliminary probes launched into complaints of narcotics peddling in over 200 villages across the state.
The exercise, aimed at plugging the supply chain and preventing youth from slipping into addiction, is being driven directly from the chief minister’s office.
Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, meetings of drug de-addiction committees have been convened in 234 panchayats identified as highly vulnerable to substance abuse. Officials said the initiative marks a shift from sporadic enforcement to a structured, intelligence-based and community-backed approach.
234 panchayats flagged in first phase
In the first phase, the government focused on 234 severely affected panchayats, where local de-addiction committees were not only revived but also reconstituted to ensure active participation. During the meetings, officials reviewed village-level inputs related to drug trafficking, identified emerging hotspots and assessed the extent of chitta and other narcotics use.
Sources said committee members shared ground-level information on suspected users and peddlers, which will now form the basis for targeted action. “The idea is to move beyond generic drives and zero in on specific locations and networks,” an official said.
Community outreach, awareness drive planned
Apart from enforcement, the meetings also laid stress on prevention. Detailed discussions were held on rolling out awareness campaigns against drug abuse and encouraging community participation in keeping villages drug-free.
Panchayat representatives were urged to motivate residents, especially families and youth groups, to report suspicious activities without fear.
Officials said strengthening community ownership is critical to breaking the cycle of addiction and peddling, which often thrives on silence at the local level.
From policy to action on CM’s directions
The panchayat-level exercise follows decisions taken at the sixth state-level Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) meeting held in Dharamshala on December 2. Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari said the CM has made it clear that the fight against drugs will not remain confined to the police or administration alone.
“This is being waged as a people’s movement. Information shared by citizens will be the backbone of our strategy,” Tiwari said, adding that actionable intelligence emerging from the meetings will be translated into firm and timely action.
The government maintains that the multi-pronged strategy —combining local intelligence, community engagement and strict enforcement — is aimed at realising the larger goal of a chitta-free Himachal Pradesh.
