Chandigarh, Jun 19 (PTI) Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Wednesday said the government may go for stricter penal provisions, which may include confiscation of property, against smugglers and peddlers of narcotics to rein in the drug menace in the state.

Chairing a meeting of the officers of the civil and police administration, the CS laid stress on identifying drug hotspots in Punjab and taking strict action against the chemists selling banned drugs, an official release said.

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He directed the health department to enhance the strength of drug controllers through fresh recruitment and promotions.

Verma said the state government is also mulling to introduce several reforms in the penal system, including confiscation of property, to ensure strict punishment to the drug smugglers.

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He asked the revenue department and police to work in tandem to ensure that every property acquired through drug money is confiscated, and called for regular meetings of the Narco Coordination Centre at the state and district levels.

The top state bureaucrat said the government must channelise the energy of the youths in sports activities to drive them away from drugs.

A new sports policy involving the establishment of 1,000 new sports nurseries to cater to villages within a radius of 3-4 kilometres was also discussed in the meeting.

Verma asked the youth services department to take interest in such activities as trekking, trails, and tours to inspire the youths towards good health.

The rural development must encourage the panchayats to take a pledge for drug-free villages, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)