Himachal CM Sukhu to launch statewide 'anti-Chitta' campaign from Nov 15 to combat drug menace

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 1 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, while presiding over a high-level meeting on Saturday, said that the State government would launch a decisive battle against Chitta (heroin) from November 15 this year to eradicate it, officials said on Saturday.
A comprehensive and multi-level campaign against Chitta will be organised over the next three months.
According to officials, the campaign will be launched by the Chief Minister on November 15, 2025, in Shimla with an "Anti-Chitta Rally" from the Ridge to Chaura Maidan.
MLAs, dignitaries, students and people from all sections of society will participate in this rally. During the three-month campaign, a comprehensive strategy to combat Chitta, followed by strict actions against the Chitta Mafia, will be taken at the grassroots level.
The Chief Minister will personally oversee this campaign at the state level.
The Chief Minister has directed that all government representatives, police, various departments, volunteers, students, and others will work together at multiple levels to make this campaign a success. A special focus will be placed on drug prevention awareness.
Anti-Chitta rallies will be held at the district, sub-division and other levels. A special cell will be formed within the police department to eradicate Chitta from the State.
The Chief Minister stated that the police department has identified the panchayats in the state which are most affected by Chitta, and special attention would be given to these panchayats. Anti-Chitta volunteers will be trained in colleges. The police department will develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure the campaign's success.
To prevent the illegal trade and use of narcotics and drugs in the state, drug prevention committees will be formed at the panchayat level. A notification for this has been issued, stated CM Sukhu. The committee will consist of seven members, including the chairperson, and will hold regular monthly meetings to prepare detailed reports on Chitta and related activities in the area, sharing them with law enforcement agencies. These committees will organise various awareness programs in schools and other public places on drug prevention and its adverse effects, and submit their reports, coordinating with the respective Deputy Commissioners in the district.
The Chief Minister said that the drug prevention committees would play a pivotal role in drug prevention and curbing the illegal drug trade up to the Panchayat level.
Deputy Chief Kewal Singh Pathania, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary for Home K.K. Pant, Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari, Principal Secretary for Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary for Finance Abhishek Jain, and senior officials were present at the meeting. (ANI)