E-rickshaws accelerate Punjab's anti-drug campaign by taking it to grassroots
Chandigarh, June 5
The Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government's battle against drug abuse 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' is getting a major boost, all thanks to a unique campaign that involves use of specially-designated e-rickshaws at the grassroots level.
These e-rickshaws are operating across 86 Assembly segments of the border state ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and form an integral part of a pilot project aimed at mobilising communities against drug abuse.
As part of the campaign, the Mann government has selected one Assembly segment in each of the 23 districts chosen for the pilot project, an official statement said on Friday.
In these Assembly segments, one e-rickshaw has been assigned to cover 40 villages to spread awareness against drugs and also collect anonymous tips about drug peddlers and people in need of de-addiction, among other things.
Already, the e-rickshaw initiative is covering 3,440 villages across Punjab, roughly one-third of all the state's hamlets.
The e-rickshaws are giving anti-drug messages to people who are difficult to reach through conventional means as the vehicles go from village to village to not just spread awareness about the harmful effects of drug abuse but also make people aware of avenues for rehabilitation.
The initiative is part of the Mann government's bid to involve local communities in its fight against drug abuse.
Village Defence Committees (VDCs) set up at the grassroots are playing a huge role in monitoring the effectiveness of the anti-drug programme and provide feedback to the AAP government.
According to the feedback received from several districts in Punjab, VDC members have seen encouraging responses to the anti-drug initiative ever since the deployment of the e-rickshaws.
Committee members have reported increased public engagement in awareness programmes, greater participation in the meetings at the village level and improved communication between residents and local authorities regarding drug-related concerns.
This feedback will be reviewed during a series of meetings scheduled throughout June and the work has already begun in the first week of this month.
As per the review mechanism put in place, Assembly segment level meetings will be attended by the local MLA concerned, besides government functionaries and VDC conveners and acting presidents and feedback will be sought from them.
This shall be followed by VDC meetings in the second week of June, in which Block Coordinators, VDC conveners, VDC acting presidents, and VDC members would be present.
It will review actions taken on the earlier complaints, evaluate new complaints, and conduct an overall review of the 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' campaign's progress at the village level.
In the third week of June, a meeting would be held that would be led by Punjab government ministers as well as the civil and police administration, to review the status of registered complaints.
Feedback would also be sought from Assembly segment and block coordinators.
In the last week, Chief Minister Mann would review the progress of the 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' campaign, review the status of escalated complaints and also set the road map for the future in the state's fight against drugs.
Talking about the initiative, Health Minister Balbir Singh said, "The e-rickshaw campaign is another feather in the Mann government's cap. In addition to collecting tip-offs from the community in a safe and anonymous manner, the e-rickshaws are also helping in initiating dialogue at the community level about the social and financial consequences of drug addiction and how to get rid of it.
"Local residents have shown keen interest in the outreach activities conducted through these mobile units, turning the government's 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' initiative into a people's movement."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally someone is taking drugs seriously in Punjab! I've seen what addiction does to families in my village. The e-rickshaw approach makes sense because it reaches the remotest areas where no one else goes. Hope the VDCs actually work with the community and don't just become a political tool.
While the concept is interesting, I'm skeptical about how much actual awareness these rickshaws can create in 40 villages each. That's a lot of ground to cover. Also, need to see if the anonymous tip system actually protects informants and leads to real action. Drugs destroyed my cousin's life in Malwa region. Let's hope this isn't just a photo op.
The review mechanism with 4 weeks of meetings sounds good on paper, but will it actually lead to action? My concern is these meetings become just another bureaucratic exercise. However, I appreciate the effort to involve local MLAs and police. Punjab needs accountability at every level to beat this crisis. Good luck to the VDCs! 🙏
This is what a public health approach looks like! Instead of just police raids, they're using community engagement. The e-rickshaw as a mobile awareness unit is genius for rural Punjab where transport is limited. Heard from my uncle in Ludhiana district that people are actually talking about de-addiction now. Encouraging start!
I welcome the initiative but the real test is - do these e-rickshaws have reliable de-addiction centers to refer people to? Awareness is great but without rehabilitation facilities, it's just half the battle. Also hope the VDC members are trained to handle
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