Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration on Wednesday unveiled dedicated anti‑drug helplines and outlined a package of measures that include a planned door‑to‑door household survey and closer monitoring of medicines liable to misuse, officials said.
Helplines, confidentiality and response mechanism
Administrator and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria said public cooperation is central to the campaign and urged residents to report instances of drug peddling and abuse or to seek assistance via the newly launched numbers. The helplines are intended to provide citizens a direct route to share information and request help.
“Senior officials will handle the complaints to ensure prompt action,”
The administration emphasised that callers’ identities and contact details would be kept confidential. Officials listed the helpline numbers as 8283040100, 0172‑2677037 and 1933.
Field survey and treatment linkage
Kataria said the next step will be a comprehensive, door‑to‑door survey across households in Chandigarh to identify people and families who may need support to deal with substance misuse. The stated objective is to link identified individuals to counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services, improving access to interventions beyond enforcement actions.
Officials said the initiative blends law enforcement, health monitoring and community outreach, reflecting an administrative approach that aims to combine prevention, assistance and punitive measures where necessary.
Enforcement figures and hotspot action
Chandigarh DGP Sagar Preet Hooda gave a snapshot of enforcement so far, saying the ongoing drive has resulted in 130 FIRs, 133 arrests and 359 detentions. He added that some drug hotspots have been identified and cordoned off as part of the operation.
| Enforcement metric | Number |
|---|---|
| FIRs registered | 130 |
| Persons arrested | 133 |
| Persons detained | 359 |
Hooda said that information received through the helplines will be acted upon quickly by a special team under supervisory officers, enabling immediate and credible follow‑up where warranted.
Health department role and cross‑border coordination
The Administrator said the Chandigarh Health Department has been instructed to examine the sale of medicines that are prone to misuse and to take strict action against outlets dispensing such drugs without valid prescriptions. No specific list of medicines was released by the administration in the statement.
Kataria also stressed the need for cooperation with neighbouring states, noting that curbing drug abuse requires action beyond administrative boundaries. Officials said the campaign would be expanded in coordination with adjoining jurisdictions to tackle trafficking and supply chains that cross the Union Territory’s borders.
How citizens can engage
Authorities urged residents to use the helplines to:
- Report suspected drug peddling or trafficking
- Seek assistance for family members or acquaintances struggling with substance misuse
- Provide information about local hotspots or unlawful sale of controlled medicines
The administration assured confidentiality and said senior officials would review complaints to ensure timely action. The helplines aim to create a centralised, responsive platform for citizen inputs alongside active policing and health interventions.
No timeline was provided for the household survey or for public release of detailed operational plans on inspections of medicine outlets. Officials indicated that further steps would be announced as the campaign progresses.
Police and health officials will be key to implementing the multi‑pronged approach, which seeks to balance enforcement with rehabilitation and preventive outreach in the Union Territory.
