‘Fight Against Drugs, With Yamunanagar Police’ initiative begins from Chhachhrauli village; SP Kamaldeep Goyal calls for collective action against drug trafficking and addiction
YAMUNANAGAR| PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
After successfully organising the ‘One Tree in Mother’s Name’ plantation campaign and a massive blood donation camp, Shivaji Press Club has taken another significant step under its social responsibility initiatives by joining hands with Yamunanagar Police for a sustained campaign against drug abuse and trafficking.
The special campaign, ‘Fight Against Drugs, With Yamunanagar Police’, jointly being conducted by the district police and Shivaji Press Club, was formally launched at Devdhar village in the Chhachhrauli subdivision. Superintendent of Police Kamaldeep Goyal, who attended the programme as the chief guest, interacted with villagers, youngsters and senior residents and highlighted the serious physical, mental, social and financial consequences of drug abuse.
Goyal administered an anti-drug pledge to the gathering and urged residents to unite against the illegal drug trade. He said the fight against drugs required active participation not only from the police but also from village panchayats, families, social organisations, youth and the wider community.
Appreciating the role played by the Devdhar village panchayat, the SP said the village had demonstrated how collective awareness and community participation could help tackle the drug problem. He said the vigilance and efforts of the panchayat had contributed to bringing around six families out of the grip of addiction.
Goyal described the village’s initiative as an inspiration for other communities in the district. He said when villagers stood together and raised their voice against drug trafficking, those involved in the illegal trade could no longer operate with confidence.
During his interaction with residents, villagers reportedly raised concerns about drug trafficking in the area and said around 30 people were allegedly involved in the illegal trade. Taking the matter seriously, the SP called upon residents to maintain unity and continue sharing information about suspected drug-related activities with the police.
He assured the gathering that strict legal action would be taken against people found involved in selling or trafficking drugs. At the same time, he stressed that youngsters who had fallen into addiction needed support and rehabilitation so that they could return to the mainstream of society.
The programme also recognised villagers and young volunteers who have been actively working against drug abuse. SP Kamaldeep Goyal honoured individuals who had taken a stand against the menace by presenting them ceremonial stoles and mementoes.
Among those honoured were Master Prem Chand Sharma, representative of the current village sarpanch, former sarpanch Omkar Chaudhary and former sarpanch representative Salender Kumar. Their efforts to mobilise the village community against drug abuse were acknowledged during the programme.
Young volunteers Vikram Singh, Parvinder Arya and Pritam Singh, along with their entire team, were also jointly honoured for spreading awareness and encouraging people to stay away from drugs. Their recognition was aimed at motivating more young people to become involved in community efforts against addiction and illegal drug activities.
Speaking on the occasion, Shivaji Press Club president Ravinder Chauhan said the organisation would continue to play a constructive role in initiatives related to public welfare and social change. He said the Press Club considered it its responsibility to support campaigns that directly affect the safety and future of society.
Chauhan said the anti-drug campaign would be taken to villages across Yamunanagar district. Under the guidance of SP Kamaldeep Goyal, Shivaji Press Club would continue organising awareness programmes in different areas to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse and encourage communities to resist the illegal drug trade.
He said the campaign was intended to develop a sustained public movement rather than remain limited to a single event. Greater awareness among families and youngsters, he added, could play an important role in preventing people from becoming victims of addiction.
The launch programme brought together police officials, elected representatives, village functionaries, social workers, members of Shivaji Press Club and a large number of villagers.
Among those present were Advocate Sushil Arya, district coordinator of the Yamunanagar Police’s anti-drug campaign ‘Sahi Raah’; DSP Bilaspur Ramesh; ANC in-charge Anil; Dr Naveen Sharma; Rinku Singh; former sarpanch Ratan Singh; Zila Parishad member representative Bittu Chaudhary; Pratap Nagar police station in-charge Rohtash; Balle Majra sarpanch Rajan; village secretary Jasbir Panwar; village secretary Raman; Begampur sarpanch Pankaj; and Lakad sarpanch Surender Kumar.
Representing Shivaji Press Club were Ramkishan Kashyap, Rajendra Kumar, Sukhwinder Kashyap, Ravi Kumar, Sanjeev Gupta, Ali Jan, Rudra Pratap Singh, Dinesh Kumar, Rashid Nirala, Sanjeev Chauhan, Shiv Chunni, Satish Dhiman and Amit, besides several other members and a large number of villagers.
The organisers said the campaign would focus on creating awareness about the consequences of drug abuse, encouraging people to speak up against trafficking and supporting efforts to bring affected youngsters back into normal social and family life.
The Devdhar programme also underlined the importance of village-level participation in tackling drug abuse. The organisers said the experience of the village demonstrated that when the community, police and social organisations work together, awareness against addiction can be strengthened and families affected by the problem can receive greater support.
The campaign will continue in different phases and is expected to reach more villages in Yamunanagar district. The organisers said the ultimate objective was to build stronger community resistance against drugs and encourage youngsters to choose a healthy and productive path.
With Shivaji Press Club taking an active role alongside the district police, the initiative seeks to turn the fight against drugs into a broader social movement involving citizens at the grassroots level.
POD/DESK
