Himachal's Fight Against Drugs: Government Gears Up for Transformation

The Himachal Pradesh government is contemplating an amendment to its police manual to ensure greater accountability within its force, following reports of police personnel involvement in drug trafficking, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Speaking at the 12th half marathon organized on the theme 'Together We Defeat Drugs', Sukhu highlighted the government's serious concern about government employees, including police, engaging in drug-related activities. Already, strict actions have been initiated against 80 government staff under legal proceedings.

A large-scale anti-drug campaign is in the works, with mapping at the panchayat ward level for targeted interventions. The constitution of a special task force aimed at curbing drug trafficking and the recruitment of 500 new personnel in the police department are underway. The state recently passed the Himachal Pradesh Anti-Drugs Act to differentiate between offenders and victims, focusing on drug user rehabilitation.

(With inputs from agencies.)