Punjab News Drug Menace PYC plans social boycott of erring chemists

chief

Prime VIP
Amritsar, June 19

Waking up to the ill effects of drug addiction in Punjab, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and its state unit, the Punjab Youth Congress (PYC), have directed 1.40 lakh of their Aam Aadmi Ke Sipahi (AAKS) to ensure social boycott of chemists and others found to be peddling or selling synthetic drugs to youngsters.

The IYC and PYC have chalked out a strategy to fight drug addiction in the state and at the national level to contain its spread within two years by challenging those found to be selling drugs to youngsters.

The PYC has already started holding workshops in the state under the banner of “Nasha Mukat Punjab”, as the first phase of its “eliminate drug addiction” programme, supervised directly by AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and by IYC chief Rajiv Satav.

“More than 70 per cent of the Punjab youth have fallen a prey to the menace of drug addiction, particularly addiction to synthetic drugs. Now, we have decided to counter the spread of drugs by holding ‘open boycott’ of chemists and others found to be selling drugs to youngsters. The social boycott will be ensured by our Aam Aadmi Ke Sipahi with the help of NGOs in Punjab,” said PYC chief and MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and the IYC Secretary Vikas Upadhya. “We have already started the campaign by holding a three-day workshop at Amritsar,” said Bittu.

In the first phase of the programme, the PYC workers and AAKS volunteers will be deputed in five villages in each block of Punjab where they will be creating awareness against drug addiction among villagers. Similarly, volunteers will be deputed in wards in all cities of the state.

“In fact, the problem is more acute in villages as there is nobody to guide youths. We know we have a huge task ahead of us, but we are determined,” said Bittu, adding that the PYC was also preparing lists of politicians who were patronising drug peddlers.
 
Top