Take firms steps to curb drug smuggling: Badal to Centre

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the Centre to take effective steps to curb smuggling of narcotics into Punjab from across the border.
Addressing a gathering here at a function organised by the 'Art of Living Foundation', Badal expressed concern over the inflow of drugs into the state from across the border.
"The SAD-BJP government has already taken firm steps to control the drug menace and seized a huge quantity of drugs but the real problem persists across the border," he said.
Badal accused the Centre of not taking enough measures to deal with the issue seriously.
The open sale of poppy husk in neighbouring Rajasthan could also pose problems for Punjab, he said.

The Chief Minister said social maladies like drug addiction and female foeticide had crippled the society.

He said religious and social organisations should work in sync with the state government in eradicating the drug menace.
On the male-female child sex ratio in Punjab, the Chief Minister said it had improved from 798 in 2001 to 846 in '11.
"The government is striving hard to further improve it," he said.
Badal asked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the foundation, to adopt some villages to develop them as model ones.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said he wanted to see Punjab as a drug-free state.