District administration initiates the ‘Drug Free Village Campaign’

By Amrit Pal Brar

Hoshiarpur, September 10,

Boosting up the anti-drug campaign in the district the district administration initiated the ‘Drug Free Village Campaign’ declaring its 9 villages drug-free while more are in the process to get the tag.

The administration has taken up stringent parameters confirming to whom the villages have been declared drug free and holding open session of all residents is one of them besides multi-level independent verification of the village being drug free.

Addressing a press conference here at Distrcit Administrative Complex, Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia told this to the media persons. Divulging details while unveiling the first list of drug-free villages of the district, Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia said the administration has taken keen steps to ascertain the drug free status of the villages and in many of the villages this was still going on.  “We have cross-checked the documentation as per conditions laid down for a drug-free tag.

The conditions laid down for the same include that no FIR under the NDPS Act against any resident for the past five years and recovery and sale. Besides this we have also undertaken stringent parameters to confirm that there is no addict in the village, no one from the village had been under treatment in de-addiction centres and several other similar points were taken up”, said Isha Kalia.

The cross verification goes through three layers, one of administration, second of police and the last of the DAPOs and GoGs. After meeting all requirements and ascertaining all pre-requisites, the villages that have qualified for the drug-free tag in the first phase include namely Rawal Pindi, Kambala, Fatehpur Kalan, Deron, Nazarpur, Mukandpur, Kulewal and Maujipur of Garhshankar sub-division while in Mukerian sub-division there’s one such Village Behbal Manj

Giving details of the anti-drug campaign being run in the district, the Deputy Commissioner said DAPOs, cluster coordinators, Nasha Roku Nigran Committees and buddy groups would be pushing up the campaign and in coming days more villages would be joining the list of Drug Free Villages.

To boost the morale of key players of the anti-drug campaign, the best performers among officials, DAPOs and GoGs, village Sarpanchs and Panchayats would be felicitated on Republic Day.

On the occasion, SDM Garhshankar Harbans Singh, Assistant Commissioner Amit Mahajan, Head GOG Manohar Singh were also present.

A novel initiative to eradicate malnutrition & adding more nutritional value to nutritious food

97 anganwadi centres have had domestic orchards till date

By Amrit Pal Brar

Hoshiarpur, September 7:

“The District Administration is undertaking awareness programmes under Poshan Maah, which is a flagship scheme of the Poshan Abhiyan campaign besides setting up nutritional domestic orchards in the anganwadi centres in order to make the message of nutritious diet echo in every nook and corner.

It is a one of its kind effort of the District Administration to add nutritional value to the nutritious diet aimed at total eradication of the malnutrition.”

Disclosing this, the Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia said that there are a total of 1926 anganwadi centres operating in the district and the Nutritional Domestic Orchards would be set up in the centres having vacant space available.

The Deputy Commissioner also said that the Social Security, Women and Child Development Department in league with the Horticulture Department, is in the process of setting up nutritional domestic orchards in the 444 anganwadi centres across the district out of which 97 have already been readied.

Isha Kalia further added that the main rationale behind nutritional domestic orchards is to make people habitual to the healthy and nutritious food so as to adapt to a healthy lifestyle. The Deputy Commissioner also said that vegetables as well as fruits sans any chemicals would be provided to the women and children through the anganwadi centres.

The Deputy Commissioner also elaborated that the orchards are fast becoming the center of attraction thus making the message of nutritious food reach each household. Emphasizing the nutritional food, Isha Kalia said that every household must grow fruits and vegetables in the vacant spaces in their homes.

The Deputy Commissioner exhorted the people to plant more and more saplings for making the environment cleaner and greener.

Isha Kalia further added that the District Administration is undertaking special activities under the Mission Tandarust Punjab in order to make the people of the District robust and healthy.

The month of September is being celebrated as Poshan Maah with the aim to totally eradicate the scourge of malnutrition.

Under Poshan Maah, whereas on one hand an awareness campaign has been waged by the Social Security, Women and Child Development and the Sports Departments, on the other, the Health Department is guiding the school administrations regarding Anaemia.

Apart from this, the medical check up camps is being organized for the Women, Children and adolescent girls.

DAC Hoshiarpur emerges numero uno in having fully operational rain water harvesting system: Isha Kalia

By Amrit Pal Brar

Hoshiarpur, September 7:

“The District Administrative Complex (DAC), Hoshiarpur has become the first DAC to have a fully operational Rain Water Harvesting system and conserve water through this system. The rain water which was earlier going wasted is now completely recharged through these active bore wells into the ground adding to the raising of the ground water level.”

Disclosing this here today, the Deputy Commissioner Isha Kalia said that with the motto of saving water under the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, the work of rejuvenation of defunct and blocked rain water harvesting structure was undertaken at the District Administrative Complex, Hoshiarpur was started.

The Deputy Commissioner also divulged that with mechanical and manual intervention, the pipelines were de-silted and the bore wells were rejuvenated. The task was accomplished at a cost of Rs 2.17 Lacs.