SHIMLA -18 August, 2026-Health, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil today chaired a one-day workshop for stakeholders on combating drug abuse and drug trafficking. On the occasion, Dr. Shandil said that drug abuse was harmful to both physical and mental health.

He said that the state government is taking effective measures against drug abuse and trafficking. The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against drugs and strict laws have been passed in the Vidhan Sabha to prevent drug abuse. These laws include stringent provisions such as the death penalty, life imprisonment, heavy fines and confiscation of property.

He said that the state government launched the Anti-Chitta Walkathon from the historic Ridge in Shimla on 15^th November, 2025. The initiative was started with the objective of bringing together voices against chitta and turning the fight against it into a mass movement. Walkathons have also been organized in Dharamshala, Hamirpur and Bilaspur with thousands of young people, women and representatives of various social organizations participating, said the Minister.

He added that commendable work was being carried out in the state under the National Drug De-Addiction Campaign. Under the campaign, approximately 18.5 lakh people across all districts were made aware of the dangers of drug abuse last year. This included children studying in 17,304 educational institutions.

He said that Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country where, at the panchayat level, drug traffickers and drug users, particularly those involved with chitta are identified and panchayats are categorized into different groups of based on the number of such cases.

He said that the PIT-NDPS Act was being strictly enforced in the state and property worth more than Rs. 63 crore has so far been seized. During the tenure of the present state government, 5,642 cases have been registered and 8,250 offenders have been arrested.

He said that four de-addiction and rehabilitation centres for men are operating in the districts of Kullu, Una, Hamirpur and Kangra, while the Red Cross Society, Kullu, operates one such centre for women. Recently, the 'Nav-Jeevan' Women's De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre was opened in Mashobra. It is the first women's de-addiction and rehabilitation centre in the state. The centre will not only provide treatment to women but also create opportunities for them to return to a dignified life. The state government was also establishing a 100-bed, state-of-the-art de-addiction centre at Kotla Barog in Sirmaur district.

He said that drug abuse severely affects the overall development of people, particularly children. The involvement of children in the vicious cycle of addiction was a matter of serious concern. He said that an addicted person often becomes compelled by the habit and that society should view such a person as someone suffering from an illness rather than stigmatizing them. He emphasized that people suffering from drug addiction need proper treatment and guidance and that the state government was making serious efforts in this direction.

He said that Himachal Pradesh was known as 'Dev Bhoomi' and that its society has traditionally had a strong religious orientation. If young people today are choosing drug use instead of following their traditional spiritual and religious practices, it also raises questions about the values and upbringing being imparted to them by families and society.

He said that bringing children back onto the right path - so that they can become ambassadors of the rich traditions of Dev Bhoomi - is a responsibility that must be shared by the state government, parents and society.

The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister said that parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children lead a healthy lifestyle, develop good habits and become mentally strong. At the same time, parents should nurture their children's talents and instill good values in them so that they can become active participants in social development.

Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment C.P. Verma, Director e-Somsa Sumit Khimta, panchayat representatives, officials of non-governmental organizations, representatives of educational institutions and senior officials of the central and state governments were present in the workshop.