Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has assured the government employees that those who fail the dope test will not be punished, but would be given treatment and their identity would be kept confidential. Amarinder had made anti-drug drive as one of his main poll promises before the state elections held last year. At the time, he had highlighted it as one of the biggest threats facing Punjab. In what now may well be the Congress leader's way of fulfilling his promise, government employees have reportedly been told that they would not be penalised if they fail dope tests. They also won't be sacked from their jobs. Instead, they would be provided treatment and that their identity would be kept a secret.
In addition to this, police station chiefs have been made accountable for ensuring villages under their jurisdiction are free from drugs and Amarinder has also ordered expediting of pending drug-related cases, according to the Chief Minister's Office. While Punjab has an inherent problem with drugs, it is also an established fact that Pakistan has a strong hand to play in this. A 2016 AIIMS report said that the country is responsible for smuggling in drugs worth £750 million into Punjab each year. Indian authorities have previously warned Pakistan of putting an end to this with Home Minister Rajnath Singh even threatening strong action if the peddling continues from across the border.
