Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on January 24 met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and raised the growing problem of narcotics and drugs in the State, especially in the areas bordering Punjab. Mr. Sukhu also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh.
Mr. Sukhu told reporters that the Home Minister had asked him to submit an action plan to tackle the drug menace, particularly along the State borders.
In his meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Sukhu said he requested assistance from the Centre for giving a fillip to the ongoing development works. An official statement said Mr. Modi had assured all possible support to the State.
Mr. Sukhu, in his meeting with Dr. Jitendra Singh, requested the establishment of a high-tech seismic laboratory and data analysis centre in Kangra and Hamirpur seismic zones, keeping in mind the State’s vulnerabaility to earthquakes.
“..Also, as the State is prone to natural calamities, there is a need for Doppler radars in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, besides the establishing of weather observatories at Hamirpur, Chamba, Nalagarh, Keylong and Kaza regions. A data centre in Hamirpur district is needed in order to strengthen disaster response, analysis and dissemination of weather information. This will not only help save lives but will give timely weather information to farmers and horticulturalists of the State,” Mr. Sukhu asserted, during deliberations on agriculture, horticulture and the health sector.
