Himachal Chief Minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that, as part of its crackdown on the drug menace, the state government will make it mandatory for every candidate to undergo a drug test before being recruited for any government job.Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Sukhu said the state government will make drug testing mandatory not only for recruitment in all government departments but also for students seeking admission to professional colleges.“The state government will launch the second phase of the Anti-Chitta awareness campaign from June 1 to August 20 in all government schools and colleges across the state,” he announced.The CM stated that action has been taken against 123 government employees and 31 police personnel. Among them, 10 police personnel and 10 state government employees found involved in drug-related activities have been terminated from service.He said the 123 employees include 13 from HPSEBL, 10 from the education department, nine from the Jal Shakti Vibhag, eight from the Himachal Road Transport Corporation, and six from the Forest Department, among others.Sukhu said that, so far, 12,000 individuals have been identified for suspected involvement in drug trafficking, and special police and CID surveillance have been intensified in 234 highly sensitive panchayats across the state.He said the state government will ensure strict compliance by pharmaceutical companies regarding the manufacturing and distribution of medicines, and any diversion of drugs will be viewed seriously. He added that the licences of shops found selling medicines illegally would be cancelled.He said it has been decided to include numerical grading in the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police based on their performance in tackling the drug menace and implementing the Anti-Chitta awareness campaign.He said the focus will be on stepping up surveillance in 234 panchayats falling in the red zone. Under this initiative, 19 panchayats in Shimla, nine in Solan, 20 in Sirmaur, 26 in Police District Baddi, 27 in Bilaspur, 14 in Hamirpur, 28 in Kullu, 24 in Mandi, 15 in Kangra, 13 in Chamba, 22 in Nurpur, seven in Dehra, and 10 in Una district have been identified.Sukhu said that from 2023 till now, 6,811 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act, which is 33.18 per cent higher than during the previous government’s tenure.During this period, 10,357 accused persons have been arrested and 45,867 kilograms of narcotic substances, including chitta, have been seized.He said the STF examined over 700 cases and identified 300 cases for financial investigation and property freezing. So far, 76 illegal properties have been identified, and demolition and eviction action have been taken in 17 cases.