Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 16 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced a 'Nasha Mukti Yatra' amid the ongoing 'War Against Drugs' in Punjab, which has been initiated by the administration to eliminate drug abuse in the state.

He will be accompanied by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in this endeavour to curb drug abuse in Punjab.

He said that the 'Nasha Multi Yatra' would reach each village and ward in Punjab to strengthen people's resolve against drug abuse and the selling of drugs. It would also focus on convincing people to provide treatment to drug addicts to ensure their well-being.

'From today, the Nasha Mukti Yatra is starting in Punjab. This Yatra will go to every village and every ward of Punjab. Through this Yatra, people will now be connected with the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan. In every village and every ward, people will take an oath that they will not consume drugs themselves, will not let anyone sell drugs in their area and will get the drug addicts treated and get them out of addiction,' Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi, posted on X.

He stated that the Punjab government has made arrangements for the treatment of drug addicts.

'The Punjab government has made arrangements on a large scale for the treatment of drug addicts. Three crore members of the Punjab family will now ensure that they eliminate drug addiction from Punjab,' Kejriwal said.

'In the last two and a half months, Punjab Police and Punjab Government have started a war against drugs. For the first time, action is being taken against drug smugglers on such a large scale,' he added.

Earlier, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema called for stringent regulations on methanol to prevent hooch tragedies across the country. This came after 17 people died and several were hospitalised after consuming illicit liquor in five villages under the Majitha block in Amritsar.

In a letter to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Cheema highlighted the absence of rules under the Alcohol Industrial Act 1951 to govern methanol, a key substance linked to illicit liquor incidents.

Cheema further emphasised the urgent need for a track-and-trace system to monitor methanol's supply chain. (ANI)