Chandigarh, Jun 26 (PTI) A senior Punjab government official on Wednesday asked the special task force of the state police to focus on big drug traffickers who deal with commercial quantities.

Chief Secretary Anurag Verma gave the direction during a state-level meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) that he chaired, according to an official release.

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It is the need of the hour to publicise the stringent provisions of the NDPS ( Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) regarding the punishment for habitual offenders, he said.

Verma batted for effective training of investigating officers or district attorneys to ensure that the violators of the law get rigorous punishment.

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The officers should ensure zealous compliance with the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding the confiscation of property of drug peddlers, he said, adding that the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against the drug menace.

Verma said the war against drugs should be transformed into a mass movement with the support of the general public and effective coordination between concerned departments along with central and state agencies.

A detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding it has already been issued, he added.

He said of the around 30,000 retail sale and wholesale chemists in the state, only 134 wholesale chemists and 463 retail sale chemists have been allowed to stock and sell restricted drug formulations.

He said chemists who repeatedly flout the law should be severely punished by dismissing their licenses.

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