Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, July 31
The Himachal Pradesh government has made dope testing for ‘Chitta’ mandatory for all police recruitment candidates as part of its intensified campaign against drug abuse. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said that the measure is aimed at ensuring a drug-free administration and protecting public health. The anti-drug initiative will also cover all new government recruits, who will now be required to submit affidavits declaring they do not use substances such as synthetic drugs, including ‘chitta’.
The state is simultaneously rolling out reforms to strengthen its policing system. Police stations are now being graded from A to D based on crime statistics and local population figures to guide infrastructure upgrades and better enforcement strategies. To expand rehabilitation support, the government will set up de-addiction centres in each district, with ₹14.95 crore sanctioned for the effort. Anti-drug teams, consisting of police constables, ASHA workers, and panchayat assistants, will be deployed at the village level to lead community awareness and intervention.
In a more forceful legal step, Himachal Pradesh has invoked the PIT-NDPS Act, which enables preventive detention based on suspicion of drug-related activity. So far, 44 individuals have been detained under the provision. Authorities have also seized property worth ₹42.22 crore linked to narcotics trafficking—double the value of assets confiscated in the previous year.
Chief Minister Sukhu said the multi-pronged approach signals the government’s firm resolve to tackle the drug menace through prevention, enforcement, and rehabilitation.
