Drones from Punjab being sent to Pakistan to smuggle drugs into state: CM Mann

Mann said he has already urged the Union government to ensure that registration of drones is made compulsory

Mohali: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday said registration of drones should be made compulsory to check smuggling of drugs and weapons from across the border, stressing that there were several incidents when drones went to Pakistan from border districts of the state and returned with consignments.

Like the registration of vehicles, drone registration should also be made mandatory to deal with the menace of drug smuggling, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

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Mann said he has already urged the Union government to ensure that registration of drones is made compulsory.

“There are many drones which go from here and return with consignments. There should be registration of drones being operated here. My government has written to the Union Home Ministry in this regard,” he said.

The chief minister said that in two-three incidents, drones were sent from Punjab to across the border and they were later captured by the Border Security Force and police.

Had these drones been registered, their owners could have been identified, he said.

On Manpreet Singh Badal who had recently criticised him, Mann reminded the BJP leader that acting was his profession which had made him popular amongst the masses.

He said Badal had hailed him as a “great person” when he had joined his (Badal’s)People’s Party of Punjab at the peak of his career to serve the state.

“Is it wrong to be an artiste? When I joined politics, you (Badal) lauded me,” said Mann.

Recently, Badal had taken a swipe at Mann, saying doing drama was his profession and still it is, and people of Punjab were watching his dramas.

The chief minister said when the former finance minister was sent to “oblivion” by people for his “opportunistic” stances, he is finding faults in him.

Mann said he is well aware of the tantrums of the former minister to drive his own vehicle and pay toll tax whereas in reality he did nothing for the wellbeing of the people.

“These shameless leaders mercilessly plundered the wealth of the state due to which people ousted them from power,” said Mann.

He said such leaders will be made accountable for their “sins” and every penny will be recovered from them.

Expressing concern over the damage caused due to floods in the state, the chief minister said the government will compensate people for the loss of every single penny.

Mann said he has already ordered a special “girdawari” (survey to assess loss) to ascertain the loss of crops, houses, cattle and others due to heavy rainfall in the state.

He said authorities have been asked to complete the survey by August 15 so as to fully compensate the people for their loss.